The Ties That Bind
by StillDreaming85
Summary: Isabella, a young girl of seventeen has the world at her feet, but all that is torn away when her father forces her into an arranged marriage with a stranger. #mobward #bratella
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Okay, this is something I am writing for me. A little bunny that wouldn't leave me alone, and once I started writing it I realised how much I've missed writing mobward. I have a good number of chapters under my belt already. I am aiming for weekly updates, anything other than that will be an extra. Update day is Sunday. Also, chapters will be on the shorter side because basically this is what is easier for me and my health right now.

A huge thanks to Sherry, Paige, Tiffany & Cristina for working with me on this fic. You girls rock my world. Xx

Also, this is the only warning you are going to get, this Bella is Bratella. If you can't handle that, don't read.

 **Chapter 1**

I guess I should have known that after Kate got married, I would be next. I just didn't think it would be as soon. I only was seventeen after-all, a mere child in some eyes, but now I realize that all the warning signs were there. I just didn't want to see them. Strangers had been visiting our house for over a week; my father had been having constant meetings with them and his attitude towards me had changed, but the one clue that I really should have noticed was my mother's sudden interest in my appearance. She was suddenly overly concerned by what I was wearing or how my hair looked. God forbid she caught me looking anything but my best. One time, she caught me in yoga pants, with my hair pulled back. I thought she was going to have a heart attack.

It wasn't until I was summoned to my father's office that I started to suspect something was going on, but by then it was too late. My mother had insisted on fixing my hair before I went down and reminded me to smile. I figured father had an important guest and wanted to show me off, even if it was unusual for him to call me to his office while he had company.

I barely had time to knock on the door when my father's loud voice beckoned me inside, giving me the impression that he had been waiting for me. When I entered the office, I saw my father was sitting in his usual spot, behind his desk. His visitor was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk. His visitor was a good looking man, who looked to be about twenty-something. He wore a crisp black suit, paired with a black shirt and tie. He had the most striking green eyes I had ever seen. It was only when I saw him looking at me, that I realized that I had been caught staring at him. I quickly looked away and turned my attention to my father. "You wanted to see me, Papa?"

"Sit down, Isabella," my father said, pointing to the chair beside the stranger. He had a bemused look upon his face.

"Sit down?" I asked him, confused, wondering why he wanted me to sit with him when he had company. He never usually wanted me around business discussions. The less the women knew, the better.

"Yes, Isabella, sit!" he said, growing exasperated. "You will make Mr. Cullen think you are simpleminded, if you can't follow such an elementary instruction."

I pouted, taking a seat. He knew I wasn't simpleminded and there was no need for him to call me that in front of his visitor, giving the man a terrible impression of me.

"I guess you are wondering why you're here?"

I shrugged. I was in a mood now. I didn't like it when papa was snappy or harsh with me, and I hated being belittled. I didn't care why I was here. I just wanted to get it over with so I could go back to my room. I had plans to go out tonight with the girls and I wanted to finish getting ready.

"Mr. Cullen," my father said, gesturing towards the man. "Is a family friend, in fact, his father and I were very close growing up."

I could barely bring myself to smile at Mr. Cullen, but I did so, knowing what was expected of me.

"Mr. Cullen and I have come to an agreement and it is my pleasure to tell you that you are now betrothed to him."

"What!?" I shouted, jumping out my chair, the news completely taking me by surprise. "You can't be serious," I said, looking between them both, but the two of them looked extremely serious. "I'm too young," I protested. It was a feeble excuse, but it was all I had.

"Isabella Marie Swan, sit your ass down on that chair," my father scowled, "you're making a spectacle of yourself, and this family. You are not too young. You will be eighteen in just over a month. Granted, all of this is happening sooner than I would have liked, but it can't be helped."

I reluctantly sat down on the chair and stared at my father, giving him my sad eyes, the ones that usually got me out of trouble. "Please papa," I begged, tears forming in my eyes. "Kate didn't marry until she was twenty-one. Why can't I wait until I am twenty-one?" I asked, sparing a glance at Mr. Cullen, wondering what he made of all of this, but his face was completely expressionless, giving nothing away.

"The decision has been made Isabella," my father said, sternly. "Plans have been put into place, there is no backing out of this now. You are only shaming your family by acting in such a spoiled adolescent manner."

I scowled at him. I didn't care if I was shaming our family. This was my life, my future we were talking about. How did he expect me to act when he dropped such a bombshell on me without giving me any kind of warning? Did he expect me to just sit here and do whatever he told me? Well, yes, that was clearly what he expected me to do, what I had been brought up to do, but I didn't care. This was _my_ life.

"Mr. Cullen's mother has started organizing your wedding, it will take place in two weeks."

"Two weeks!?" I looked at him like he was mad.

My father continued as if he hadn't heard me. "You will go and live with Mr. Cullen until then. I suggest you take the time to get to know your future husband."

"Go and live with him?" I said, glaring at him, then at my future husband. "Papa, you can't honestly expect me to go and live with this man, this stranger. You didn't force Kate to live with her fiancée before their marriage. I don't understand why you are doing this to me. Have I done something? Have I upset you?"

My father never answered. He shared a silent look with Mr. Cullen before nodding his head. Mr. Cullen stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. He lightly touched my arm. "Come Isabella, let's collect your things. We have a flight to catch."

I pulled my arm away from him and glared at him, before running around the desk and throwing myself at my father's feet. By now, I was a sobbing mess. "Please papa," I begged. "Don't send me away. I'll be good. I promise. I'll behave. I'll do everything you say, just don't send me away. Don't sell me off like some cheap whore that you don't care about. I am your daughter, your baby girl. You love me papa, just like I love you."

I clung onto his trousers, my head resting on his knees as my heart broke. No one spoke or said anything for several minutes. Then, I felt someone grab my arm and pull me to my feet. I turned around to see Mr. Cullen standing by my side. His expression was no longer emotionless, he actually looked miserable, but I didn't care. I had already promised myself that I would hate him for taking me away from my life. I had no room for empathy for this man.

"Come Isabella," he said, pulling me away from my father. "It's time to go."

"I don't want to go," I said, trying to pull my arm away from him, but this time he refused to let me go.

I glanced back at my father as he guided me from the room, his eyes were moist, his expression forlorn. I couldn't understand why he was doing this, not if it was hurting him too. Then, realized that it had to be Mr. Cullen. He had to have something on my father. He had to be forcing him to do this, but why? I was sure he could have any girl he wanted. Why would he want a seventeen year old girl?

Mr. Cullen took me upstairs to my room. He waited at the door while I entered. My mother was already inside, packing my things. She looked like she had been crying too. "Isabella," she said, coming towards me. She tried to hug me, but I pushed her away.

"Don't," I hissed. "Don't touch me."

She flinched at my words, but I couldn't find it in me to care. She had to have known about this all along, and she had done nothing to convince my father not to go along with the decision. "Please don't hate me Isabella," she said, reaching out to gently touch my face. I pushed her away again. "This is for the best, in time you will see that. In time, you will learn to love him, if you give him a chance. He's a good man."

I shook my head. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear the lies. "Get out," I growled. "Leave me alone."

She left my room crying, but I didn't care. At least that is what I told myself. I slammed the door after her and fell to the floor crying. I have no idea how long I lay there, but no one came to comfort me. No one came to tell me it was going to be alright. In the end, I had no other choice, but to pull myself together.

I looked around my room. I didn't want to leave. I loved my home, my city, my friends. I didn't even know where it was that we were leaving to, or what my finance's first name was. Nothing about this situation was right. This wasn't at all like Kate's engagement or wedding. She got to meet her husband months before. He got to court her, win her heart. Why wasn't I getting any of that? Why was I being punished? What had I ever done to hurt my father?

Nothing. It was the only answer I could come up with. I had done nothing wrong. Sure, I wasn't the perfect daughter. I had my moments. I could be a spoiled brat, but I knew when to draw the line. I didn't go out drinking like the other girls did. I didn't go sleeping around. I had kept myself pure like it was expected of me. I had been a good daughter. I didn't deserve to be treated like this.

I refused to be treated like this.

I got off the floor and grabbed my purse, ensuring that my cell, gun, money and my car keys were inside. I wasn't sticking around. I would run away, find a job and start a new life somewhere they couldn't control me. I went over to the window and pushed it opened, taking a deep inhale of the fresh air to calm my nerves. I hadn't climbed out my window before, but I was sure it couldn't be too hard. Isn't that what all the teens did in the movies? Anyway, there was the bay window on the floor below, which meant the roof stuck out a little. I was sure I could climb down onto that window eave, and then jump onto the ground below.

I got halfway out when I realized that I was being watched. I looked down to see a man in a suit standing in the street below. He spoke into a two-way radio before I had a chance to react. The next thing I knew, Mr. Cullen was barging into my room and pulling me back in the window. He did not look happy.

He pushed me against the wall and glared at me. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you trying to get yourself hurt?" he hissed. I didn't answer. I just stood there, staring at him, clutching my bag. His facial features softened after a few minutes and he let me go. "Don't ever try to do that again. Don't ever try to run from me, Isabella."

I nodded, moving as far away from him as I could. I still wasn't sure what to make of him. He went over to the window and closed it, before sitting down on the windowsill. "You have ten minutes left. I suggest you use it to pack anything you don't want to leave behind."

We never spoke after that. I reluctantly went around the room collecting my things since I was out of options. When I was finished Mr. Cullen carried my suitcase down the stairs for me. My parents were waiting by the front door, both of them looked like they had been crying, but I couldn't bring myself to speak to them. I turned my head the opposite way and walked out the front door, making my way to the car parked on the side of the street. I hoped they could live with their decision.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** A bonus update since the readers of my group had already read the first chapter about a month or so ago.

Again, a big thanks to my girls Cristina, Paige, Tiffany & Sherry x x

 _ **I will see you on Sunday for the next update.**_

 **Chapter 2**

I looked out the window, watching my family home as we pulled away. I had no idea where we were going or who I was going with. The only thing that I knew about my future husband was that his name was Mr. Cullen, which, in my opinion was too formal for someone you were supposed to marry.

Mr. Cullen hadn't even bothered introducing me to his men when we got in his car. He had made no effort to make me feel more comfortable or put me at ease. I had already decided that I hated him.

"Give me your purse," he ordered, breaking the silence.

I clutched my purse to my chest and glared at him. "No." I didn't want him looking through my things. They were just that, _my_ things, not his and I didn't want him touching them.

He didn't listen to my protests. He grabbed my purse and pried it from my hands. When I tried to grab it back, he held it out of my reach, like it was some sort of game.

"It's mine, give it back!" I demanded. "You have no right to go touch my things."

He acted as if I hadn't even spoken. He opened my bag and began to look through it, pulling out my gun. "Marcus, here," he said, tossing it to the man in the passenger seat, who also happened to be the man who saw me climb out the window.

"You have no right to take that," I protested. "That's mine. I need it for protection."

"I'll provide you with all the protection you could ever need Isabella, but I will give it back to you when I feel that I can trust you not to try and use it on me." I shook my head at his suggestion. I would never have used it on him… I don't think, maybe… if he pissed me off.

He pulled out my cell next. He didn't even bat an eyelid as he lowered the window and tossed it out onto the road.

"Are you out of your fucking mind!?" I yelled, looking out the back window, just in time to see a car drive over the phone and crush it.

"I'll get you another one when we get to Detroit."

"I don't want another one. I wanted _that_ one. It had all my contacts in it, my pictures, and my memories."

"You're starting a new life, Isabella, you won't need those contacts."

"Yeah!? What about the pictures?"

He never answered. He took out my credit cards next and started snapping them in his hands. I grabbed his arm, trying to stop him, but he managed to somehow hold me out the way with his elbow.

"I hate you," I sobbed. "Did you force my father to make me marry you just so you could destroy my life?"

"I never forced anyone into anything, Isabella, and I am doing this for your own protection. You need to leave your old life behind. You'll be provided with new cards once we get home."

"I don't have a home!" I spat.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way."

When he was done with my purse, he offered it back to me. I clung onto it as I looked out the window, silently crying for the life that I used to have.

We arrived at the airport twenty minutes later. A private jet was sitting on the tarmac waiting for us. Mr. Cullen said nothing as he got out of the car and waited by the door for me to join him. I climbed out and quietly followed him into the aircraft, his two men bringing up the rear.

"There is a bedroom at the back if you want to go and lie down," he stated, taking a seat.

I wondered if he was trying to tell me to get out of his sight. I wasn't sure, but I never went to that room anyway. I didn't feel comfortable lying down with strange men so close to me. Anything could have happened to me and I no longer had my gun for protection.

I sat down in the furthest seat from Mr. I'm-too-good-to-share-my-first-name. Thankfully, it faced away from him, towards the back of the plane, so I didn't need to look at any of them.

"I don't think your new wife likes you," one of the men joked. It was the first time that I had heard any of them talk.

Mr. Cullen sighed. "I'm sure she'll get over it, eventually."

"Don't count on it," I muttered, so that only I could hear.

.

~TTTB~

.

We landed in Detroit two painful hours later. As the plane came to a standstill the realization of what was happening hit me and before I knew it, I was running for the restroom, regurgitating the contents of my in-flight meal.

"Are you okay?" I looked up to see Mr. Cullen standing over me. In my rush to the restroom, I must have forgotten to close the door, either that or he had just let himself in.

"I'm just peachy," I said, scowling up at him.

"Well, peaches, it's time to go," he said, offering me his hand.

I ignored it and got to my feet on my own, making my way to the faucet and splashing water on my face. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, trying to give myself a silent pep talk, telling myself that I could handle this. Though if I was honest, I wasn't sure that I could and he certainly wasn't making things any easier for me.

"The car's waiting," Mr. Cullen said, after several minutes.

"I'm coming," I said, glaring at him. I didn't understand why he had to be so pushy. Didn't he have one single bit of empathy in his body? Couldn't he see how hard this was for me, that my world had been torn apart? Or was it that he just simply didn't care?

I walked past him and headed to the front of the plane. His two men were standing by the door waiting. They walked out first and I followed them to the car with Mr. Cullen right behind me. I wondered if he always traveled like this, with so much security or perhaps he was afraid I would try to run again. Yeah, that was probably it.

"You know, this marriage doesn't need to be as bad as you're imagining it, Isabella. You just need to give it a chance," he said, once we were seated in the car and making our way to our destination.

"Are you sure about that Mr. Cullen?" I asked. I couldn't believe that he was preaching to me about giving him a chance when he hadn't even had the decency to give me his first name. What an asshole.

"I'm sorry," he said, the realization of my words donning on him. "I had forgotten that we hadn't been properly introduced with… everything that happened. Please, call me Edward."

I nodded, but never replied. I actually never spoke a word again to him until we arrived at the gates of a large house which was illuminated with spotlights, though hard to see because of the surrounding trees. "Is this your house?" I asked, looking out the window, trying to get a better view of the house.

"Our house," Edward corrected.

The guard let us through the gates and I watched as the house as it came into view. It was huge, but then I wasn't really surprised about that fact. The front door had a large archway feature, with several steps leading up to it and shrubs on either side. It was beautiful, and there were so many windows, that I knew it had to be light and airy inside.

"What do you think?" Edward asked, gauging my reaction.

I shrugged, acting indifferent. "It's okay."

He laughed, his entire face lighting up, making him look even more handsome than he did before. I scowled at myself for thinking such thoughts, reminding myself that he was the reason I was in this car and not at home with my family.

"Come, I'll show you around."

The inside of the house was like a Tardis. Downstairs there were at least four sitting rooms, two kitchens and several dining areas. Edward said that he hosted a lot, which I found funny, he didn't seem the hosting type. The upstairs landing overlooked most of the rooms downstairs, which lead me to believe that there wasn't a lot of privacy in this house. That didn't sit well with me, as I was certainly someone that valued their privacy.

Upstairs there was five bedrooms, all with large en suites. The master bedroom, Edward's room, was huge. More floor space than he could ever use. It seemed like a waste to me. My room was right next door to his. Okay, so I figured he chosen it so that he could keep an eye on me, but I was just grateful that he didn't actually expect me to share a bed with him.

"I'll let you get settled in," he said, sitting my bag on the bed. "I'll just be next door if you need me."

I nodded, but never made any other attempts to answer him. I watched him leave, before I turned to investigate my room. It wasn't big. Given the size of the house, you would expect it to be better, but it wasn't. It did, however, have everything I needed. A large four poster bed that I could get lost in, a walk-in closet with built-in drawers, and an en suite of course. It even had its own set of French doors that led out onto a balcony. Sadly, that balcony was connected to Edward's room.

I came back in and locked the doors, sitting down on the bed and staring at myself in the long mirror that hung above the dresser. I didn't know what to make of this situation, of Edward. I hadn't even seen it coming. I didn't understand why my parents hadn't warned me or prepared me.

I could only assume that Edward held something over them, but then, he said that he hadn't forced anyone into anything, which didn't make any sense. If he was telling the truth, then that meant my parents wanted this, but why? Why did they want me out of that house so suddenly?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Extra update day ;)

Big thanks for all the attention this story has received.

Thanks to my girls Tiffany, Cristina, Sherry & Paige. X x

 **Chapter 3**

When I woke up the next day I showered and dressed before heading downstairs. I had put on yoga pants and a baggy t-shirt as a big fuck you to my mother. I hadn't even bothered to brush my wet hair. I knew she would have a fit if she saw me. She would say that I should be trying to impress Edward, but I couldn't care less if he was impressed or not. I hadn't asked for this wedding.

I found Edward and Marcus sitting at a breakfast bar in one of the kitchens. In the light of day, Marcus almost looked like a different person. He had a hard face, a full beard and a scar on his right eyebrow. If I was honest, he looked intimidating as hell. I certainly knew he wasn't someone I wanted to get on the wrong side of.

"You're awake," Edward said. "I've made you breakfast. It's in the warmer if you want to help yourself."

"I'm not hungry," I muttered. That was a lie. I was starving, but I didn't want to eat anything he had made. I was being petty, but I didn't care. I saw the coffee cup sitting in front of him and looked around the kitchen until I spotted the coffee maker. I would definitely need some liquid gold to get through a day with him. I walked over to the coffee maker, picked up the pot and poured myself a cup

"Did you sleep well?"

"Just peachy," I said, glaring at him. How the hell did he think I slept? He had practically kidnapped me and taken everything from my previous life away from me. I lifted my cup and turned to walk away. I really wasn't interested in making small talk with him, or any kind of talk for that matter.

"Wait," he called after me, "I have something for you." He came after me and handed me a cell phone and credit cards. The cell phone was exactly the same as the one he had thrown away yesterday. It even had the same cover. He smiled at me as if I was supposed to be impressed. I wasn't. I slide my finger across the screen and looked around it before checking out the contacts. There was only about five of them on it and I only recognized two of them, him and Marcus.

"Where are my parent's numbers?" I asked, looking up at him. "And Kate's?"

"You won't be needing them."

I scoffed at him. "What the fuck do you mean I won't be needing them? They're my fucking family. Of course I'll need them."

"I'm your family now."

He made my blood boil. "You are not my family, nor will you ever be!" I yelled, throwing the cell phone at his fucking head. He barely managed to dodge out of the way. "You can keep the fucking cell. I don't want it, and as for these," I said, looking down at the credit cards to see the name, Isabella Marie Cullen. "This isn't even my real name." I flicked them at his face and turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm.

He looked pissed, but he was trying hard not to let it show. "It will be your name in two weeks."

"Don't remind me," I muttered, trying to pull my arm away, but he refused to let me go.

"My mother and sister have invited you out for lunch today. They want to go over the wedding plans with you."

"Of course they do."

"Marcus will take you to meet them."

"I can find my own way."

"Marcus will take you," he said, sternly, "and he will be with you anytime you leave the house. You are not to go anywhere without him. Do you understand?"

"My father never forced me to have a guard," I sassed, still trying to free my arm. He only gripped it tighter.

"Yeah, well, I am not you're father, and while you live under my roof you will obey my rules."

"It sounds like your trying to be my father, but I'm afraid I'm not into daddy kink."

Edward took a deep, frustrated breath. "You're seventeen, living in a strange, dangerous city. You will have a guard on you at all times and that is final."

"I hate you," I hissed, finally pulling my arm free. He let me go and I hurried from the room. I went to one of the more private sitting rooms, where I spent most of the morning flicking through the channels, trying to distract myself from the emotions that were bubbling away inside me.

"Hey," Edward said softly, when he walked into the room, sometime later. "I thought I'd let you know that your lunch date is in about an hour. If you want to go and get changed or whatever."

I glared at him. Was he trying to imply that I needed to change? Was he trying to say that I would embarrass him going out like this?

Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm not saying that you have to, just if you wanted to."

I sighed, knowing I was being unfair. I would never have dreamt of going out like this in New York. My mother had drilled it into me that how I looked and acted in the eyes of the public was a representation of my family. I would go and change, put something nice on and do my hair because that was what was expected of me.

He sat the cell and the credit cards down on the couch next to me. "I'd appreciate it if you kept the cell on you at all times, in case I need to reach you, or if you need to reach me. I also thought you may want to treat yourself, buy something nice when you're out with the girls."

"My happiness isn't for sale," I muttered, picking up the cards and cell and walking from the room.

.

~TTTB~

.

Marcus was an ignorant asshole. Since we had left the house he had done nothing but give me the silent treatment. He wouldn't talk to me. He wouldn't answer me. He didn't even look at me to acknowledge when I was speaking. If we were going to be stuck together the least he could do was make an effort, right? Well, that's what I thought, but he obviously didn't feel the same way.

When we arrived at the restaurant I didn't even know who to look for. I would have asked Marcus, but what was the point when he wasn't going to answer. Thankfully, when we walked in two blondes jumped up from their seats and came rushing to my side.

"You must be Isabella," the older one gushed. I presumed it was Edward's mother. She pulled me into a hug and I awkwardly hugged her back. She pulled away and smiled at me. "I'm Esme, Edward's mother and this is Rosalie, my daughter and Edward's sister. Come," she said, taking my hand and pulling me towards the table. "Sit."

I followed her orders, but only because I was extremely out of my comfort zone.

"It's great to finally meet you," Rosalie said, taking the seat next to me. "We've heard so much about you."

"You have?" I asked, confused.

"Tell me," Esme said, squeezing my hand. "How is my son treating you?"

I don't know why, but my eyes suddenly filled with tears and the more I tried to force them away, the harder they came.

"Oh my dear," Esme said, getting out of her seat and pulling me into her arms. "Is it that bad?"

I shook my head, because in all honestly I didn't want to pour my heart out to a woman that I didn't know, and after-all, she was Edward's mother. She was clearly on his side and probably knew a lot more about what was going on than I did.

I finally managed to pull myself together and Esme took her seat. "I can see you have been through a lot in the past day," she said, reaching over for my hand on the table. "But don't worry. Edward is a good man. He will treat you right."

I wanted to tell her that she was wrong about her son and how poorly he had treated me since I had met him, but I had no idea what her reaction would be. Sure, it would have been nice to have someone reprimand Edward, but there was no telling if that would all eventually backfire on me anyway. I was the one that had to live with him.

During lunch we made small talk and I pushed my food around my plate. It wasn't until we were all finished that Esme started the wedding talk.

"So did you have anything in mind for your wedding dress?"

I shook my head. It was the last thing on my mind. I didn't care what I wore. It wasn't like I was looking forward to the event, but I didn't want her to take me shopping either. So I quickly followed up with a comment. "I was hoping to wait until my mother comes into town before picking one."

"Your mother?" Esme said, shocked.

I nodded.

"Didn't anyone tell you? Your parents aren't coming to the wedding."

I stared at her speechless. What did she mean my parents weren't coming to my wedding? What was going on? Why had they cast me out of their lives?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks to my girls Paige, Cristina, Tiffany & Sherry for working on this story with me. xx

And to all of you for all the reivews/favs/follows x x

 **Chapter 4**

After Esme's revelation I had left the restaurant, demanding that Marcus take me back to Edward's. I have had enough of being kept in the dark and treated like a little girl. I wanted answers, and Edward was going to give them to me whether he liked it or not.

When we arrived at Edward's house I found him in the kitchen, sitting at one of the dining tables, going over paperwork. He was with an older man who had blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Something about the man seemed familiar, but I wasn't interested in him right now.

I knew I shouldn't approach Edward when he was working, I knew better than that, but I was past the point of caring. I walked over to their table and dumped my purse in the middle of their paperwork, glaring at Edward. He looked up at me surprised.

"When the hell were you going to tell me?" I growled.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific if you want an answer cause I have no idea what you are talking about," he said, glancing at the man across from him.

"My parents aren't coming to the wedding!" I shrieked.

"Who told you that?"

"Your mother!"

Edward sighed, standing up, forcing me to take a step back. "She had no right to tell you that."

"She had every right to tell me!" I yelled. "They are my parents. Hell, you should have told me." I pushed him backward to emphasize my point, but he barely budged.

I went to push him again, only this time harder, but he grabbed my wrists, stopping me. "Go upstairs, we'll discuss this later."

I couldn't believe he thought he could dismiss me like a silly little girl, or the fact that he actually thought I would listen to him. "No," I hissed. "I am not a child; stop treating me like one."

"Well, stop acting like one then."

I wanted to slap him hard, but he was still holding onto my wrists. I jutted my chin out and glared at him. "I want to know why they aren't coming."

"Because they don't want to!" he snapped.

His words stung like a bitch and the fact that he had said it within a heartbeat made me believe that it was true. I stood there, frozen on the spot, staring at him. I couldn't believe that they didn't want to come and see their daughter get married. That they would just hand me off to a complete stranger and turn their backs on me.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, his face filled with regret. "I didn't mean-"

I shook my head as I took a step backward, yanking my arms free of his grasp. "Save it," I snarled. I grabbed my purse from the table and turned around, hurrying away from him. I could feel tears stinging my eyes as I rushed up the stairs, but I refused to let them fall. I didn't want him to see me cry, not again, not for him.

"Isabella, wait," I heard him call after me as I reached for the doorknob of my room, but I didn't wait. I didn't want anything to do with him. I went inside, slamming the door and locking it so that he couldn't follow me. I heard him outside it a few seconds later. "Isabella, please," he said, trying the handle. "Open the door, let me in."

I ignored him as I picked up my bag. I shoved the few items that I had unpacked back inside and closed it. I wasn't staying here another minute. _Don't ever try to do that again. Don't ever try to run from me, Isabella,_ Edward's voice taunted me inside my head, warning me not to run. What was he going to do? Huh? Beat me? I failed to see how he could hurt me anymore than I was already hurting. My parents, who I loved with all my heart had disowned me and for no good reason. They had handed me over to a complete stranger and walked away. Not even giving me one single glance back.

Well, I didn't need them. I didn't need him either. I didn't need anyone. I could do it on my own.

I opened the patio doors quietly and stepped outside, closing the door behind me. The Detroit River, or what I surmised was the Detroit River was at the back of the house. There was also a small speed boat and a dock. It was my only chance of getting out of here. If I could make it to the boat I stood a good chance of disappearing.

I tossed my purse and bag over the railing, onto the ground below, hoping that nothing broke. It was a long drop, but if I climbed over the railing, there was a pole I could slide down.

I could still faintly hear Edward banging on the door, demanding that I let him in. I knew it wouldn't be long until he got fed up and tried to come in through the patio. I had to move. I gripped onto the railing and slowly climbed over. The height looked worse from this side. It was enough to make me feel dizzy. I gripped onto the railing tightly as I made my way to the pole. I prayed that this all worked out and I didn't fall to my death, splitting my head wide open.

The tricky part was getting down past the railing to the pole. I had to crouch down and then hold all my weight with my arms as I dangled there, trying to wrap my legs around the pole. I managed it, somehow. I'm still not exactly sure how. Adrenaline maybe?

The last part was the easy part. I slid down the pole, landing on my ass. I think I may have gotten several splinters on the way down too. I got onto my feet and dusted myself off. When I looked up I saw the blonde haired man standing at the window watching me. He looked amused. Part of me was worried that he would try to stop me, but when he made no move towards the doors I sighed with relief and grabbed my bags.

I got halfway across the yard before I heard Edward shouting from the patio. He didn't sound impressed. His anger only made me run faster. I knew he would slide down after me and it certainly wouldn't take him as long as it did me.

When I reached the boat, I tossed my bags inside and jumped on-board. I untied the boat and pushed away from the dock. I didn't know the first thing about boats, but I figured the further out of his reach I was the better. Once the waves started to carry me away, I looked around to see how I started it, unfortunately it needed keys.

I knew Edward had to keep them around here somewhere, in case of a quick getaway. I started searching the boat, the sound of Edward's footsteps only making me look faster. I finally found a set in the first-aid box under the seat.

"Isabella don't!" Edward shouted as he ran down the dock. The boat had only drifted a few feet away from the dock. He could probably jump it if he tried. I couldn't give him that chance. I turned the keys, thankful that the engine started the first try. I gave Edward a wave and thrust the throttle forward, praying that was the last time I ever saw him.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** A big thank you to my girls Cristina, Sherry, Paige & Tiffany for working on this chapter with me.

Thank you for all the reivews/follows/favs I really do appreciate it.

 **Chapter 5**

I made for the first land in sight. I was eager to get off this boat, find a cab and be on my way out of this hell hole. Not that I had a clue where I would go, as my parents no longer wanted me, and I would be too easy to find back in New York. Perhaps Kate would take me in and hide me for a few weeks until Edward had given up looking for me.

I abandoned the boat at the side of a rocky embankment, which led to a large, open field. I picked up my bags and hurried across the field, scanning the place as I went. There was a large building to my left. It looked like some sort of water plant. To the right of the plant was a bridge that led across a river. That was the way I had to go. The only problem was, there were gates at the end of the bridge and they looked like they were locked. I would have to find a way over or around them.

"Can I help you Miss?" I jumped at the sound of someone else's voice. I turned around to my right to see a stereotypical security guard walking towards me. He had a bald head, the large beer gut hanging over his trousers. He didn't look fit enough to guard anything.

"I ah," I stammered, unsure of what to say. "My boat broke down."

"Uh-uh," he said, his critical eyes examining every inch of me. "Do you realize you're trespassing?"

I shook my head. "No, I didn't, sorry. I was just trying to find a main road."

"This is Belle Isle. You ain't gonna find a main road here."

 _Belle Isle? Shit!_

 _Shit! Shit! Shit!_

"Let me call the authorities," he said, turning around and walking to a small cabin I hadn't noticed earlier because of the trees. "I'm sure they'll send someone over to help you find your way."

"No!" I yelled, a little too loudly. "Don't. I mean. It's okay. My, uh, boyfriend is on his way here, to pick me up."

"Uh-uh."

"If you could just let me out the gates, I'm sure I'll be able to find him." I gave him one of my cutest smiles, hoping to dazzle him into giving me what I wanted.

He studied me for several minutes as if trying to size up his options before he let out a big sigh and muttered, "fine then, follow me."

We walked over the bridge in complete silence. I had to fight the urge to rip the keys out of his hand and make a run for it. As he unlocked the gate, a black Mercedes pulled up at the bottom of the road. I warily glanced at the guard, praying it was someone he knew.

"Is that your boyfriend?" he asked, motioning towards the car.

I silently shook my head. I watched in horror as a lean man, with dark brown hair and a five o'clock shadow stepped out of the car. He was wearing an Italian suit, with his shirt unbuttoned to his chest. I could see the hint of a chain around his neck. I immediately knew he was one of Edward's associates.

The security guard warily looked at me. "Do you know this guy?"

I shook my head again.

"Afternoon," the man said as he approached the gate, his eyes fixed on me. He had a smug grin on his face that made me just want to punch him in the mouth.

"Can I help you?" the security guard asked, straightening up.

"I came to pick up the girl," he said, motioning to me.

I took a step backward.

"She says she doesn't know you."

"Her fiancé sent me."

"I don't have a fiancé," I hissed.

The security guard cautiously glanced between us both. I could tell he had no clue what to do next. "Maybe I ah," he stuttered, "should go back to the office and call the authorities."

Mercedes man reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun, pointing it at the security guard. "Maybe you shouldn't call anyone."

"Yeah, I ah, I can do that," the guard mumbled, holding his hands up in the air.

"Isabella, come outside the gate," he said, motioning with his gun.

I shook my head.

"Isabella," he hissed. "Out of the gate. Now."

I shook my head again, taking a step backward. Maybe I could outrun him to the boat. I knew he wasn't going to shoot me or hurt me. I had no reason to fear him.

"I have been ordered to use force if necessary," he warned me.

I chose not to heed his warning. I dropped my bags, and ran back across the bridge, pushing my legs as fast as they would go, but no matter how fast I ran, it wasn't fast enough. I had just reached the edge of the bridge when I felt his hands wrap around my waist and lift me up into the air. I screamed and shouted as I fought against him, but he didn't pay me any attention. He put me over his shoulder and casually walked back to the car, only stopping once to collect my bags.

He stood me on my feet when we reached the car and opened the backdoor, motioning for me to get inside. I stood there glaring at him, refusing to cooperate.

"You know, this would go a lot easier if you stopped fighting me at every turn."

"Who said I wanted to make this easier?"

"Fair enough." He dropped my bags on the ground and put his hand on my head, pushing me down and forcing me inside. He closed the door before I had the chance to try and exit the car. Of course, I tried the handle, but it was locked.

He tossed my bags in the trunk and climbed into the driver seat. I looked out the window towards the security guard, wondering if he would call the cops after we left. I turned around at the exact moment a man walked up behind him and pointed a gun to his head, blowing his brains out. I screamed out in shock.

"That's what happens when you don't behave," Edward's voice said loud and clear.

I looked around the car, wondering where he was speaking from. Mercedes man pointed to a cell sitting on the front dash.

"I warned you not to run from me Isabella. I hope you won't make the same mistake again."

I glared at the phone, refusing to answer him. Of course, the security guard hadn't been the first person I had seen being killed. It had just taken me by surprise. Though I didn't think there was any need to kill him. Edward was merely trying to state his dominance and scare me from going against him again.

"Bring her home," Edward ordered.

"Will do," the Mercedes man replied as the line went dead.

I folded my arms, and stared out the window, sulking. There were a thousand questions I wanted to ask Mercedes man, like how the hell had he found me so soon? Even if they had been tracking me, it would still have taken them time to get onto the island to find me, but I refused to engage him in conversation. I knew he probably wouldn't answer me anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** A big thanks to my girls Tiffany, Paige, Cristina & Sherry.

And thanks for all the reviews/follows/favs. I really appreciate them. xx

 **Chapter 6**

When we arrived back at the house, Edward and Marcus were standing outside waiting for us. Edward looked furious. I guess he would be. He was used to getting his own way, with everyone doing exactly what he said. He was in for a shock, because I wasn't going to allow him to order me around like one of his minions.

I figured he would get fed up with me sooner or later and send me away. I knew my parents would probably be disgusted with my behavior, saying that I was letting the family name down, but I stopped caring about what they thought the second after they abandoned me. I mean, who hands their daughter over to a stranger and then wants nothing else to do with her? Don't they want to know that I'm okay? Don't they care?

I guess I shouldn't blame them, I really shouldn't, even though it was hard not to. I had to remind myself that this is Edward's fault. He may insist it's not, but I knew he had to be blackmailing them in some way, forcing them to go through with this. There was no other explanation. I just couldn't see my parents going through this any other way.

"End of the road," Mercedes man said, before getting out the car and going over to greet Edward. They embraced like old friends. I got the impression that maybe Mercedes wasn't one of Edward's men after all.

"Thanks Jasper," Edward said, glancing over at the car. "I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it," Jasper said, dismissing the idea with his hands. "She's a handful that one."

"Yeah," Edward laughed, but it sounded fake. "You could say that. She's somewhat of a reluctant bride."

Jasper nodded, knowingly. "Remember Ali was the same. Arranged marriages are hard for them, but she'll come around. Ali did."

"I hope so," Edward muttered, patting his shoulder as he passed him and headed towards the car.

"Don't count on it," I mumbled.

He opened the door and motioned for me to get out. When I didn't instantly move, his irritation grew. "Move."

I felt like shouting at him, telling him not to speak to me like that, but I wasn't sure how he would react. I knew it wasn't a good idea to push any more buttons right now, especially not in front of the others. I had no idea how he would react or how far he would go. A lot of the family men didn't think twice about hitting their women. My father was never like that, but that didn't mean Edward wasn't.

I got out of the car, glaring at him as I slid past him. He made no attempt to move out of my way or to make getting out of the car any easier either. Once I had moved past him, he slapped his hand across my ass hard. I let out a shriek and turned around to glare at him as the three of them chuckled.

"In the house," he ordered.

I bit my lip as my eyes watered. I wanted to scream and shout at him. How dare he put his hands on me, but I knew if I opened my mouth, I would likely breakdown and I wouldn't give him or them, the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I turned around and hurried towards the house, slamming the front door as hard as I could to show my displeasure. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I raced up the stairs. _I hated him. I hated him more than I hated anything else in the world. I wished he would drop dead._

I slammed my bedroom door and reached for the lock, only to find out it wasn't there. Someone had removed it and left a hole in its place. _Asshole_.

I checked the patio doors, they were locked. There was no way I was going back outside. The restroom door lock had also been removed. Just when I thought he couldn't be any bigger of an ass, he goes and proves me wrong.

I used the sleeve of my top to wipe away a few traitorous tears as Edward came walking into my bedroom. His anger didn't look as if it had dissipated any.

"You took my locks away!" I shouted. I hated that he could see me like this. Weak and a mess.

"You're lucky that is all I took away," he said exasperated.

"You had no right to take them!"

"I had every right. My house. My rules."

I huffed, folding my arms. "Yeah, well, I would be more than happy _not_ live in your house with your rules. Just say the word."

"I'm afraid you don't have a say in that matter."

I stamped my foot in frustration.

"And while you continue to act like a child, I will continue to treat you as such," he said, pointing to the foot I had just stamped.

I huffed again. "If you're trying to make me hate you, you're doing a good job."

Edward sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm not trying to do anything. Contrary to your belief, Isabella. I don't want you to hate me, far from it, and I do have better things to do than hang around all day babysitting you. I have businesses to take care of."

"I don't need babysitting."

"No? You almost ended up in Canada today. You had no idea where you were going or probably what you were going to do once you got there. Do you have any idea how hard you make it to keep you safe when you kept acting like a spoiled brat?"

"I don't need _you_ to keep me safe."

"Believe me, you do."

"That's where you are wrong, the only person I need to be kept safe from is you, but if you hand me my gun back I will gladly take care of that matter myself!"

"Oh, you think you're a killer now?" Edward said, cocking his eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, "I thought I would join the club."

"The only reason that man died today was because of you!" Edward shouted, pointing his finger at me. "If you weren't such a brat, he would be finishing his shift right about now and heading home to his wife."

"You didn't need to kill him."

"Didn't I? I had no idea what you had said to him, or if he could have been trusted. It was cleaner, safer this way."

"Don't you dare put this on me!" I roared, pointing my finger at him. "I didn't tell him shit. Do you think I am that stupid?"

"Yes."

I couldn't believe that he had just said that. I walked over to him in a fit of rage and slapped his face. He caught my wrist as I pulled my hand away. "I hoped you enjoyed that because that will be the last time you ever lift your hands to me."

"Yeah?" I asked, challenging. Part of me wanted to push him. Part of me wanted him to snap. I wanted him to give me another reason to hate him.

"Yeah!" he shouted.

We both stood there in complete silence, glaring at each other. It was obvious that Edward had no intention of giving me what I wanted. He wasn't going to hit me. He eventually sighed, letting go of my wrist as he turned and left my room.

I flopped down on the bed, staring up the ceiling, willing the ground to open up and swallow me whole.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Thanks goes to Cristina, Paige, Sherry & Tiffany, you girls rock my world.

A big thanks to all of you for all the reviews/follows/favs

 **Chapter 7**

House arrest. Edward fucking Cullen had put me under house arrest. Unless it was something to do with the wedding arrangements, I wasn't permitted to leave the house or speak to anyone. He had locked all the doors to ensure I couldn't escape again. When he wasn't around, Marcus was always there, like my fucking shadow. If he was trying to make me hate him even more than I already did, he was succeeding.

Speaking of weddings, ours was only a few days away now. I had postponed picking the dress for as long as I could, but Esme was now insistent that today was the day. I _had_ to get a dress. I honestly didn't understand why I couldn't get married in a trash bag or an old pair of PJs. It wasn't as if it was a joyous occasion. Did anyone really care what I looked like? I certainly didn't, and I couldn't care less what Edward thought.

As payback for forcing me to go dress shopping I had refused to allow Esme or Rosalie into the dressing room. I had insisted that they wait in the lobby. I may have even pretended that I wanted the dress to be a surprised. It certainly was going to be a surprise alright. I had chosen a black wedding dress to represent how I felt about the wedding, but that wasn't the best part. The front of the dress was short, like I can see your panties short. The back of the dress was long, like some sort of train or something. I dunno. I wasn't really interested in that part anyway. The entire dress was made out of black lace. It sort of reminded me of Madonna when she sings 'Like A Virgin', which I thought was fitting, although I certainly didn't look anything like a virgin in this dress. Did I mention the low cut chest line? Yeah, you best believe my boobs were on display for the whole world to see. Edward was going to lose his shit. I couldn't wait.

"Are you sure this is the dress you want?" The assistant asked warily.

I smiled, looking at my reflection in the mirror. "Yeah, it's perfect."

"Okay," she sighed, as she turned to walk away. I knew she was upset with my choice. She had been reluctant to show me the dress in the first place.

I grabbed her arm before she could go anywhere. "One word of warning," I said, staring at her straight in the eye. "I have a gun in my purse and if I hear you mention the color of this dress or style to anyone, I will blow your fucking brains out. Got it?"

Of course I didn't have a gun in my purse, Edward still had my gun, but she didn't know that.

The assistant's eyes went wide as she stared at me in horror. "Yeah, I, uh, got it."

"Good."

I removed the dress and ensured she put it in a garment bag before I went out to the front of the boutique where Esme, Rosalie and Marcus were waiting for me. I tried my best to keep myself from grinning like a loon, but it was hard, knowing the surprise I had in store for them all.

"Did you find one you liked?" Esme asked, jumping to her feet the second she saw me. She looked pissed off, but was trying her best to hide it. I guess this wasn't fair to her, as far as I know she had nothing to do with this arrangement, but still, she was _his_ mother.

I nodded, motioning to the bag in the assistant's hand. "Yeah, I got one."

"Can I have a peek?" Esme asked, moving towards the bag.

I grabbed her wrist before she could get too close. "No!" I snapped. I realized I had spoken too harshly, so I forced a smile on my face. "I'd really like it to be a surprise."

Esme sighed, holding her hands up in surrender. "Okay. I won't look. I am just glad that you picked something and seem to be coming around to the idea of getting married."

I looked at her wondering what she meant.

"You're smiling," Rosalie chimed in from my side.

 _Oh_. I guess I wasn't as good an actress as I thought. "Well, it's not like I can actually stop the wedding, right?" I said, shrugging. "I might as well go along with it."

They both stared at me suspiciously, but never said anything. I had gotten away with it, for now.

I made arrangements for the dress to be delivered to the church on the morning of the wedding. I really didn't want to risk anyone looking in the bag before I had the chance to wear it. Esme wasn't happy with the idea of leaving the dress at the boutique. She even insisted that it might need altering, but I assured her that the dress fit perfectly. There was nothing for her to worry about. She eventually gave in. I think she was just happy that I was taking an active interest in the wedding.

After dress shopping, Marcus took me home. He didn't speak a word to me on the way. He had barely spoken to me at all the entire time that he had been watching over me. Edward hadn't been particularly talkative either. I think he was still pissed off that I had tried to run away. I was sure he would do the exact same thing in my situation. He always seemed to be busy these days, too. If he wasn't on his phone, he was on his laptop, or looking over paperwork. Well, that was if he was even in the house. I wondered if he was always this busy. I still didn't know what he did, well, I knew what he _did_ , I just didn't know which type of businesses he had or where exactly he fit into the family. I really didn't know anything about him at all.

"You look happy," Edward commented the second I walked into the kitchen.

I shrugged as I went over to the fridge and grabbed myself a coke, making a point of putting a scowl on my face. I certainly didn't want him to think that I was happy.

"Did you find a dress?"

I nodded.

"Have you lost the ability to speak?"

"No, I just wasn't aware that you wanted to speak to me, considering you have spent over a week ignoring me."

Edward sighed, closing his laptop. "I wasn't ignoring you. I had things that required my attention."

"Well, don't let me stop you," I said, storming past him, but Edward grabbed my arm.

"Please, don't be like that."

"Be like what?" I hissed, pulling my arm free from his grasp.

"Like this," he said exasperatedly, running his hand through his hair. "We're getting married in a few days. Can't we just get along?"

"No. We can't _just_ get along. You fucking kidnapped me."

"I did not kidnap you," he said, standing up. "You're being childish and unreasonable. It was an arranged marriage and you damn well know it. Was your sister this unreasonable when she got married?"

"No, but she got several more years' of freedom. She got to know her husband before they were married."

"Yeah, well, her circumstances were different."

"Different how? I fail to see how they were different, other than the fact that you forced my father into this."

"How many times do I need to tell you that no one forced anyone into anything?"

"As many times as you want, but I will never believe you. My mother and father would never turn their back on me unless you made them."

"They haven't turned their back on you."

"Yeah? Well, why aren't they here? Why aren't they coming to the wedding?" I could feel my eyes filling up with tears, but I refused to let them fall.

Edward sighed. "They have their reasons."

"You're so full of shit, you know that, right?" I screamed, as tears began to fall whether I liked it or not. He reached for me again, but I moved out of his way, storming away to my room and slamming the door.

I wasn't sure I could do this anymore. I tried to pretend that my parents' actions didn't hurt me, but it did. It was tearing me apart. I had never felt so lost and confused.

 **A/N:** I know a lot of you are frustrated, but we aren't going to get answers for a while. This story all formed around _that_ black wedding dress and in order for Bella to want to wear it, she has to be hurt and in the dark. Hang in there. We'll find out more after the wedding.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Big thanks to my ladies, Sherry, Cristina, Paige & Tiffany xx

Thank you very much for all the reviews/recs/follows/favs. Love ya x x

 **Chapter 8**

"Are you awake, sweetie?" Esme asked, coming into my room.

I was awake, but I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. I hoped that if she thought I was sleeping, she might just leave me alone and I could pretend this day wasn't happening. I could pretend that I wasn't just about to get married to a stranger who I hated and probably would hate for the rest of my life.

Esme sat down on the bed and took my hands in hers. "I know you're nervous, but there is no need to be. I assure you, Edward is a good man." So everyone kept telling me. I had yet to see any evidence to support this claim. "He'll be a good husband to you. You'll both be happy, you'll see. It will all work out in the end."

A single, traitorous tear trailed down my cheek. Esme leaned over and wiped it away. "No tears, please. Today is a joyous day, it's the first day of the rest of your life. You're going to be so happy Isabella, so please don't cry."

I made no attempt to open my eyes or even speak to her. In all honesty, I just wanted to be alone to wallow in my misery and mourn for the life I would never have.

"The girls are downstairs," Esme said, after several minutes of silence. "We've ordered breakfast and the makeup artist and hairdresser will be here soon. It's going to be fun. We'll make a morning of it and before you know it, it will be time for the ceremony. Edward has even organized a surprise for you."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't want his surprise. I didn't want anything from him.

"You'll like this surprise," she said, squeezing my hand. "Trust me." When I didn't respond, she sighed a little. "Okay, well, we'll all be downstairs when you're ready."

I had to admit, her comment had piqued my curiosity. I wanted to see what Edward considered as a surprise. I didn't think he knew me well enough to get me anything. I also knew they wouldn't let me lie in bed all day; sooner or later they were going to drag my sorry ass out of here, probably kicking and screaming if need be. Now that would be embarrassing, especially if there were a lot of people downstairs. I wouldn't give Edward the satisfaction.

I got out of bed and stumbled towards the en suite, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like shit. My entire face was red and blotchy, probably from all the crying I had done last night, and my eyes had bags big enough to carry a weeks worth of shopping. I certainly wasn't going to win any prizes for the most beautiful bride. Not that I cared. I didn't need to win anyone's approval.

I splashed my face and grabbed a hoodie from my dresser, before heading downstairs. Everyone had gathered in the main living room. I could hear all their voices, laughing and joking as if today was some sort of big celebration. I suppose to them it was.

I was all set, ready to grab breakfast in the kitchen and avoid them, when I heard her voice above all the others. Kate, my sister was here.

I raced down the stairs, taking them two and three at a time. I didn't stop running until she was standing right in front of me. It had been so long since I had seen her that it almost felt like a dream. There she was, standing in the middle of the living room, talking and laughing with Rosalie. The two of them looked so alike with their honey colored hair. They could almost pass as sisters.

"Kate," I cried out, tears blinding my eyes.

Kate turned around to face me and smiled. "Hey sis. It's about time you got out of bed."

I practically shoved everyone out of the way to get to her. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight. "It's so good to see you," I wept into her hair, inhaling her familiar scent. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, Izzy" she said, hugging me back just as tightly.

"See, I told you that you would like this surprise," Esme said from my side.

I turned around to smile at her, my first genuine smile in days. "Thank you."

"It's not me you need to thank, it's Edward."

I nodded. Though, I knew I would have a hard time trying to thank Edward for anything. Maybe I would pop him a text later, so I didn't actually have to thank him in person. Though, I thought it would be unlikely that he would want to hear anything I had to say after he saw the dress.

"Why don't you both go to the kitchen and get some alone time before the makeup artist gets here? I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on."

That sounded like a great idea. I couldn't wait to get Kate alone. I grabbed her hand and dragged her behind me. I lead her to one of the more private tables by the large window. "I still can't actually believe you're here," I said, taking a seat.

"I know," Kate said, sitting down across from me. "Garrett wasn't going to let me come, not after everything that has happened, but Edward assured him that I would be perfectly safe here."

"After everything that has happened," I said, repeating her words, trying to make sense of them. "What are you talking about? What's happened, Kate?"

"Oh," Kate said, shocked. "Edward hasn't told you?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Edward hasn't told me anything."

Kate smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's nothing to worry about. We'll talk about it later, after the wedding. I'm sure Edward never told you because he didn't want you to worry."

I was sure Edward didn't tell me because he didn't want me to know. He didn't care if I worried or not, but this was about my sister and if something had happened to her, then I had to the right to know. He should have fucking told me. Damn him.

"Forget about the wedding, just tell me," I demanded.

Kate shook her head. "No. I shouldn't have even brought it up. Just forget about it. It was silly of me."

"Damn it Kate!" I roared, banging my fist against the table. "If there is something going on and I want to know."

Kate jumped, my anger taking her by surprise, but I had a feeling that wasn't just it. She looked frightened, which I found puzzling. Kate had never been timid before. "Isabella," she snapped, "what the hell has gotten into you?"

"What has gotten into me? What has gotten into you!?" I shouted, standing up and leaning over the table. "Why are you keeping their secrets? Doesn't the word family mean anything to you?" Didn't the word family mean anything to anyone anymore?

"Is everything alright in here?" Rosalie asked, walking into the room, looking between Kate and me.

"Just peachy," I said, glaring at her. "Everything is just fucking peachy." I threw my hands up in the air and stormed out of the room, knowing that I wasn't going to get Kate to talk.

I didn't understand why she wouldn't confide in me or where her sudden loyalty to Edward had come from, but I didn't like it. I didn't like it one fucking bit.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Happy Friday!

Big thanks to Paige, Tiffany, Cristina & Sherry xx

Thanks for all the reviews/favs/follows

 **Chapter 9**

"You can't go out there wearing that," Kate protested.

I looked down at my dress, pretending not to know what she was talking about. I had hoped to avoid this drama. I had planned to be alone in the church dressing room, but Kate had insisted on coming with me and no amount of talking was going to change her mind. At least, I had managed to convince Esme and Rosalie not to join us. "It's just a dress."

"I don't care what you call it. It's disrespectful. Do you realize how many made men are sitting in the church, and you plan on walking out there dressed like a whore? What the hell were you thinking, picking a dress like that? What the hell is Edward going to think? Dad would be so disappointed in you right now. You were brought up better than this."

"One, I don't care what Edward thinks and two, dad lost the right to an opinion the second he disowned me."

Kate shook her head, clearly frustrated. "He didn't disown you. Now you're just being childish."

I glared at her. I hated being called childish. "Yeah, well, where the hell is he? If he didn't disown me, where is he!?" I shouted, throwing my hands up in the air.

"He's taking care of stuff," she mumbled.

"Stuff!?" I roared. "Stuff that's more important than his own daughter's fucking wedding?"

Kate glared at me, but refused to answer.

There was a knock at the door, startling us both. Garrett popped his ugly head in. "Is everything alright in here?" he asked, looking from Kate to me. His eyes widened in horror as he looked down at my dress.

"No," Kate huffed. "As you can clearly see, everything is not alright in here. Go and get Edward."

"No!" I screamed. "Don't you fucking dare." But he never listened to me. He glanced at Kate, nodded his head, and left.

"Happy now!?" I roared. "You fucking meddling bitch. Tell me, why the hell did you even come here?"

Kate marched over to me, getting right in my face. "I came here to see my little sister get married. I just hadn't realized what a spoiled little brat she had become."

I slapped her hard across the face. I was fed up being called a spoiled brat. Everyone was so unwilling to see things from my point of view, but I bet things would be different if they were in my shoes.

"You fucking little bitch!" Kate roared, as she grabbed my hair and pulled it hard.

I screamed as a jolt of pain shot through my head. I grabbed her hair and pulled it equally as hard. I smiled when I heard her cry out in pain, but the satisfaction was short-lived when she stomped on my foot. "My fucking shoes!" I roared as I swung my foot to kick her, but it never reached her. A set of strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me away from her. I saw Garrett pull Kate away at the same time.

Edward shoved me up against the wall, pinning me in place. He looked furious, but I wasn't sure what he was madder about the dress or the fact that he had just caught me fighting. "What the fuck is that?" he asked, after several minutes of silence. I stared up at him, still trying to catch my breath. I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to answer him. "Did you honestly think it would be a good idea to show up to our wedding, dressed like a whore!?" he shouted. "You're supposed to wear white and dress modestly, like the virgin that you are, not some cheap whore that I picked up on a street corner."

Cheap? I scoffed to myself. There was nothing cheap about me. I was wearing a hand stitched Italian wedding dress that had cost _him_ over twenty grand and that wasn't including accessories. So there certainly wasn't anything cheap about me, and as for being a whore, he'd be lucky if he ever saw my legs spread. If he did, it certainly wouldn't be for him. "I'm sorry," I said when my breathing finally evened out. "I thought you said we were attending a funeral, not a wedding. I guess I must have misheard you."

Edward took me by surprise, slapping me hard across the face. I stared up at him in shock as I clutched my jaw, willing myself not to cry.

He stared at me for several minutes before he grunted in frustration and walked away. "I don't know how much more of this bullshit I can put up with," he said, sinking into a chair. "Is this it? Is this how you plan to be for the rest of our lives?"

I should have known better than to open my mouth, but I couldn't help myself. "This is it!" I shouted. "This is who I am. Maybe if you can't handle me then we should call the whole thing off."

Edward looked up at me and smirked. "Oh, I can handle you, don't you worry your little head about that. You just lack discipline. Maybe I should put you over my knee and spank you until you learn some."

I glared at him. "Don't you fucking dare." I had no idea if he was being serious or not, but there was no way I wasn't going down without a fight.

I glanced over at Kate. She was standing, cuddled into Garrett, staring at me with a look of sheer disgust on her face. I glared at her. She had no right to look at me like this. This was all her fucking fault. Things wouldn't have been as bad if she didn't show up.

Edward got off the seat and came over to me, roughly grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him. "You're gonna go fix your hair and makeup. Then, you are gonna go out there and we are gonna get married, whether you like it or not. You can walk around the rest of the day wearing _that_ dress. We'll see how clever you feel when every man in the room is eye fucking you. We'll see if you enjoy feeling like a whore in that slutty dress."

I stared at him speechless, unsure what to say. I guess in my mind, I had been hoping that once he saw the dress he would call the wedding off. I had never expected him to actually let me wear the dress. I wasn't sure how I felt about parading about in it all day.

"Five minutes," Edward said, looking down at his watch. "If you are not out there by then I am coming in here to drag your sorry ass down the aisle myself."

I sighed, taking a seat at the mirror. I guess I was getting married after-all.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thanks goes to Tiffany, Cristina, Paige & Sherry, you girls rock.

A big thank you to everyone that reviews/followed/faved the last chapter. The response was amazing!

To those of you who believed the last chapter should have had trigger warnings, I will remind you that this is a mafia story. I believe that in itself is enough of a warning.

Also, Isabella doesn't have a bruise or red mark on her face. It is possible to give someone a slap and not leave a mark.

 **Chapter 10**

As much as I hated to admit it, Edward was right. I didn't feel nearly as clever as I thought I was wearing this dress. I hated the attention it brought me and the judgments that people made about me because of it. The entire church was full of whispers of shock and scandal from the moment I had stepped into the hall and I didn't like it. I didn't like feeling like some cheap, nasty whore.

I was a Swan. I was use to people showing me respect and groveling on their knees. Not this. I think half the room would have spit on me given the chance; they clearly didn't approve of Edward's choice of bride. I wasn't sure I could blame them. I have shamed my family name. My father would have been disgusted with me if he even knew half of what I had done.

Esme and Rosalie had even looked at me with disapproving glares. The only person I had seen with a hint of a smile was the man standing at Esme's side. I presumed he was her husband. There was also something familiar about him. I realized then, that he was the man from Edward's house, who had seen me climb down the balcony and run away. I wondered if he was Edward's father. He must be if he was Esme's husband. Oh my god, he was my father's friend, possibly even the head of this family and he had seen me acting like an idiot.

I blushed from head to toe with embarrassment and shame. I really hadn't been giving the best of impressions, had I? I was surprised that someone hadn't put a stop to this wedding, but then that was what I had wanted, right? I didn't want to be married to this wolf in sheep's clothing. I glanced up at Edward as Garrett offered him my hand. No, I didn't want to be married to this man, no matter how attractive he was. Come to think of it, I didn't want to be married to any man. I had quite enjoyed being a spoiled little daddy's girl. Perhaps that was the very reason no one had put a stop to this wedding.

"Good luck," Garrett whispered to Edward.

"Thanks, I'll need it," Edward replied with a smirk.

I glared at the two of them as Garrett moved to take his place. I hated that they were talking about me as if I wasn't here. Edward seemed to take great delight in my displeasure. He tugged on my hand, pulling me closer, as the priest addressed the congregation.

The ceremony itself was long and boring, full of verses and poems preaching about love and happily ever afters. I guess it would have been okay if you believed in that sort of thing. I certainly didn't. There was no chance of me getting a happily ever after in this marriage. It was doomed to fail from the moment I had set eyes on him.

 _That's only because you have refused to give him a chance._ I shook away the voice in my head. Edward didn't deserve a chance. He had stolen me away from my family, my life. For that, I would never forgive him.

I spent most of the ceremony willing it to be over, that was, until the priest announced it was now time to kiss the bride. I don't know why I hadn't realized it before, that they would expect us to seal the marriage with a kiss, but I didn't like it. I didn't like the thought of him touching me in such an intimate way. With so many people watching us I knew I would have no choice, but to kiss him back.

I stared up at Edward, willing him not to go through with it. He smirked back at me as if he was reading my thoughts. He slowly leaned down towards me, drawing the process out more than he really needed to. He gently cupped my cheek as his lips captured mine. He kissed me slowly, gently. I could tell he was in no rush to get this over. A simple peck would have sufficed.

Butterflies danced in the pit of my stomach, as his tongue slid into my mouth. I soon found myself wanting, craving more. I hated that he had that pull over me. I hated that he could make me want him.

He didn't stop kissing me until I put my hands on his chest and properly kissed him back. Afterwards, he pulled away with a satisfied smile on his face. All I could do was glare at him. I hated him.

After the kiss Edward led me up the aisle where our wedding party proceeded to follow us. The next hour was full of fake smiles and photographs. The only consolation was that there were so many pictures being taken that there was no time for small talk. Though, I will admit I was pleased when it was all over. I was looking forward to dinner and the chance to have a drink to drown out the people around me.

"I can't believe you wore that," a voice said in disgust. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you." I turned around to see it was Rosalie standing in front of me. She looked extremely pissed. A tall, muscular guy stood by her side. His expression didn't match hers. He actually looked pleased. From what I had gathered he was her husband.

"Emmett, right?" I asked him, ignoring Rosalie. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture. I was already having a shitty day as it was.

"Yeah," he said, offering me his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Isabella."

I shook it and smiled. "Thank you."

"You do realize the shame you have brought on this family, right? Everyone is gossiping about _that_ dress. You look like a whore," Rosalie hissed.

She clearly wasn't going to let this go. I opened my mouth to respond to her, but someone beat me to it. "That's enough Rosalie." I glanced behind her to see Edward's father, her father. I swallowed hard.

"I can't believe you're going to come to her defense," Rosalie bitched. "She's made us all look like fools."

"She made a mistake Rosalie. You've made plenty of them over the years. Do I need to remind you of them?" Rosalie shook her head. "Good. I think you seem to forget she is only seventeen and this wedding has been pushed upon her. I am fairly certain that if you were in her shoes you would be making the same mistakes."

Rosalie huffed in displeasure and marched away. Edward's father came over to me and offered me his arm. "Walk with me, Isabella."

I nodded, taking his arm. We walked in silence for several minutes as he led me away from the church to the grassy area by the parking lot.

"As much as I enjoy watching you challenge my son, to the point that he is pulling his hair out, Rosalie is right, you have brought shame to this family today," Edward's father stated.

"I'm sorry," I said, truly feeling sorry. His mannerisms reminded me so much of my father to the point that I actually felt as if I was being scolded by my own father.

"Nonsense," he said, flicking his wrist, dismissing my apology. "The scandal will die down, people will forget and move on. My son, however, I am sure, will not," he laughed at the thought. "I will not, however, tolerate any more of this behavior, Isabella. I know that you have been brought up better than this, and your father would be shocked to find out the way you have conducted yourself."

"My father doesn't care," I muttered.

Edward's father frowned. "He does."

"He has a funny way of showing it."

"He has more important matters to attend to."

"More important than his own daughter getting married?" I snapped.

His lips tightened. "I'm sorry that you see it that way, but you are no stranger to this life. You know what it entails. You have to put your faith in your father that he is doing what he thinks is best. I am sure he will explain everything when the time is right; in the meantime, I expect you to conduct yourself as is expected of you."

I didn't answer him.

"Isabella, Carlisle?" Esme called, hurrying towards us. "The cars are waiting to takes us to the hotel."

Carlisle, Edward's father, patted my arm and led us toward his wife.

"Everything alright, dear?" Esme asked, glancing between us both.

"Isabella and I were just having a little chat. I am sure everything will be fine now."

Esme nodded, falling into step beside me. "Although, I don't particularly agree with your choice of dress, Isabella, even I have to admit you look hot. You've certainly given the family something to talk about," she giggled. I smiled at her, grateful for the icebreaker. "Come," she said, pulling me away from Carlisle. "Your husband has been looking for you."

After my little chat with Carlisle, I was left with no doubt in my mind that he was indeed the head of the family, which meant that Edward must be the next in line, the Underboss. My father had married me off well. Kate hadn't been nearly as lucky. I should be happy, and yet I wasn't.

My heart still broke from the unfair treatment I had received. Carlisle said that I should have faith in my father, but how could I have faith when everyone seemed so willing to keep me in the dark, including my so-called husband. I needed answers and I needed them soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Sadly there will be no update this Sunday, it's my wedding anniversary and I will be spending the weekend with my husband. I aim to update on the Monday.

A huge thanks to my girls, Sherry, Tiffany, Paige & Cristina x x

Thanks goes to all of you for reviews/follows/favs xx

 **Chapter 11**

During our dinner, I suddenly found myself hating my heritage and their passion for food. The meal seemed to stretch on forever, course after course. Everyone around me seemed to be having a great time, but I barely touched anything that was put before me. I could still feel the eyes of guests on me, judging me, and occasionally I would hear their whispers. I just wanted to get drunk and forget it all, but Edward wouldn't even allow me that. He said I couldn't have any liquor, even though he sat beside me drinking it himself.

"You need to eat," Edward said, pushing my plate towards me.

I pushed it away. "I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten anything," he said, pushing it back towards me.

"That's because I'm not hungry," I growled, shoving my plate away again.

Edward sighed in frustration, muttering to himself.

"You know, I would find it easier to eat if I had a drink."

"You have a drink," he said, motioning towards my water.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I meant of the alcoholic variety."

"No, I already told you that you're not drinking, you're underage."

"You should have thought of that before you married me. Old enough to fuck, but too young to drink and on my wedding day, as well."

"Hey, watch your goddamn mouth," he snapped.

I rolled my eyes, shoving my chair back.

"Where are you going?"

"To the restroom, is that okay or do I need to ask for your permission first?"

Edward glared at me, but never responded. I straightened my dress and walked away. I weaved my way in and out of tables, making my way to the foyer. I tried to pretend that the rude comments from the guests didn't bother me, but they did. More than I was willing to admit.

When I reached the foyer, I saw one of the security guards watching me. I knew he had probably been ordered to keep an eye on me. It was most likely they all had. I saluted him and headed into the ladies restroom. I didn't actually need to use the toilet. I had only wanted to get out of that room, away from Edward. "How had things become so messed up?" I muttered, staring myself in the mirror.

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, and yet I couldn't be any more miserable. I knew I was partly to blame for that fact. The dress had been a bad idea, a fucking shitty idea. Instead of making Edward angry, I had only succeeded in making myself unhappy.

"There you are," Kate said, walking into the restroom.

I glared at her. I wasn't in the mood for another bitch-fest from her.

She held her hands up in surrender. "I only came here to see if you were okay."

"Just peachy," I said sarcastically, looking back at myself in the mirror.

"Try not to let them get to you," Kate said, walking to my side and looking at herself in the mirror. She scrunched her hair, trying to give it more volume before touching up her lipstick. "They're only jealous. Half the women in there would kill to have a figure like yours."

"And the other half?"

"Would kill to have a man like yours," Kate stated, our eyes connecting in the mirror. "And the men would kill to wake up to a woman even half as good as you every day."

I turned around and smiled to her, fighting back tears. "Thank you," I whispered.

Kate pulled me into a hug, holding me tight. "You're welcome Izzy. Come on," she said, tugging me towards the door. "If you really want a drink, I'll buy you one, but only one, and if anyone asks it wasn't me, right?"

"Okay," I smiled, "but we better make it a strong one."

Kate linked arms with me and led to the bar on the opposite side of the foyer away from the ballroom. "What do you want?" she asked, as we approached the bar. I shrugged. I had no idea. I hadn't drank before. "Hmmm…" she said, thinking it over. "How about a Manhattan? I think you'll love that."

"Sure," I said, taking a seat at the bar. "How do you know so much about liquor anyway?"

Kate smiled. "Garrett takes me out a lot."

"You really like him, don't you?"

"Yeah," she said, her eyes going all dreamy. "I really do. He makes me happy." I fought the urge to gag. Obviously not as well as I thought because she pushed me and laughed. "I'm sure you will be the same with Edward."

"I wouldn't hold your breath."

"Don't be like that. He's a good guy."

I rolled my eyes. "I know, I know. Trust me. I've heard it before."

After Kate bought my drink, she went back to the ballroom to hopefully cover for me and stop Edward from looking for me. As I was sitting at the bar, sipping on my Manhattan, a man sat down on the stool beside me. I didn't bother to turn around to see who it was, but I did think his choice of seat was strange considering the bar was practically empty.

"So you're the bride," he said, causing me to turn around to look at him. "Aren't brides supposed to wear white?" He was a young man, I would say close to Edward's age. He had short light brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a light gray suit which led me to believe he was one of the wedding guests.

"Only if they're happy about getting married," I muttered, before taking a sip of my drink.

"And you're not?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me.

I felt like asking him if I looked fucking happy, but I didn't. I merely mumbled, "No."

"Is Cullen not treating you well?"

I really felt like screaming at this asshole. All I wanted was a quiet drink before I had to go back into the ballroom and face everyone. Was that too much to ask? But before I had the chance to say anything to him, Marcus approached us both.

"Is everything alright here?" he asked, glaring at the man beside me, who didn't seem in the slightest intimidated by Marcus' stares, which I found strange. I certainly would be unnerved by someone of Marcus' size scowling at me.

"Everything is fine," I said, reassuring him.

"Edward is looking for you."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that Marcus expected me to go with him. "Clearly he hasn't looked hard enough."

"Come on," Marcus said, grabbing hold of my arm. "I'll take you to him."

"Get your hands off me," I snarled, pulling free of his grasp. "I'm not going anywhere. If he wants me, he can come and find me himself. Not send his fucking lapdog."

"You heard the woman," the man beside me smirked.

Marcus growled at him and left without another word. It didn't take long for him to return with Edward, who looked extremely fucking pissed. I presumed it was because he had to come and fetch me.

"Isabella, let's go," Edward commanded, motioning with his hand for me to hurry up.

"I haven't finished my drink," I stated. I had no intention of moving.

"I don't care," Edward snapped. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet, marching me out of the room. He didn't slow down until we were far enough away from the bar.

"How the hell did he get in here?" he hissed, turning to Marcus.

"I have no idea."

"Get rid of him," he snapped.

I looked to the bar wondering what was going on. "Who is he?" I asked Edward.

Edward grabbed my arms, a little too roughly and glared down at me. "Don't you dare go wandering around without an escort again, do you hear me?"

I nodded, looking back to the bar. "Who is he?"

"Who bought you the drink?" he snapped.

"No one."

He arched his eyebrow, telling me he wasn't in the mood for my games. "Did he buy you that drink?"

"No."

"Then who bought it?"

"No one. I closed my eyes and made a wish and it just magically appeared."

"Cute, real fucking cute," Edward muttered. "We'll see if you're as cute later when I put you over my knee."

"You wouldn't dare," I said shocked.

"Try me," he said, walking away.

I stared after him, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not. That was the second time in the same day that he had threatened to spank me. Was that some kind of fetish of his? I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Thanks goes to my girls Paige, Cristina, Sherry  & Tiffany. X x

Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favs x x

 **Chapter 12**

Speeches, cake cutting and first dances.

Since re-entering the ballroom Edward had done his best to keep me occupied. I felt like I hadn't had a second to myself, which was what I think he was aiming for. I had just finished dancing with all the men in his family, including Jasper, who had run after me the other day. That was one awkward dance. It turns out he and Edward are cousins.

I was now dancing with Edward again. I had tried my best to get out of it, saying that I was tired, but he wasn't willing to listen to me. Part of me believed that he enjoyed making me uncomfortable. For example, his hands were currently resting on my back, just above my ass. I had tried moving them on several occasions, but he merely moved them back. He seemed to find it amusing.

"Kiss me."

"What?" I asked, looking up at him, wondering if I had heard him correctly.

"I said kiss me."

I scrunched up my face. "I don't want to kiss you."

"Are you sure? Because your body tells me something completely different."

I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to answer him. If this was one of his games I wasn't interested in playing.

"Don't you want to know how I know you want to kiss me?"

I shook my head. "Not particularly."

"It's written in your eyes," he said, stilling his movements.

I stood there, staring up at him, wondering if he had lost his mind. "I think you've had too much to drink."

Edward laughed. "You don't believe me?"

"No, I can't say that I do."

"Then why don't you kiss me to prove me wrong?"

I laughed. "Nice try." I turned and took a step away from him, but Edward grabbed me and spun me back into his arms. His lips were on mine before I even realized what he intended to do, and as much as I hated to admit it, he was right. Part of me did want _this_ ; part of me wanted him even though I hated him. Was it possible to like and hate someone at the exact same time?

I eventually pushed him away, but not before I kissed him back. Edward looked down at me with a satisfied smirk. I turned and walked away before he uttered the words 'I told you so'.

I went over to where Kate was sitting. Now that the meal was over, seating arrangements were less formal. I picked up her drink and downed it all in one go. "No one should have to get married while sober," I muttered, setting the glass back down on the table.

Kate laughed. "Not all marriages are bad." I rolled my eyes. "Mom and Dad love each other, do they not?"

I shrugged. "But they're old school."

"Edward's parents look very much in love."

I glanced over to the dance floor where Carlisle and Esme were currently dancing. They were both gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. I noted that Carlisle had his hand on Esme's ass. Clearly that was where Edward got it from. "I suppose."

 _Give it time. Edward's a good man. He'll make a good husband. You're a lucky girl_. I had heard it all before, but what other choice did I really have, other than to give Edward a chance? Did I honestly want to be miserable for the rest of my life? It wasn't like divorce was an option.

"Here," Kate said, handing me a glass of champagne.

"Thanks," I said, grateful that none of the men were around to fuss over me drinking. I honestly didn't understand the big deal anyway. It was one night, my wedding night, and it wasn't like I was doing it unsupervised.

"Sip it this time," she ordered, pulling me into the seat beside her.

"Sipping," I said, putting the glass to my lips and taking a much needed long ass drink.

Three or four glasses later I was actually feeling somewhat relaxed. The guests were no longer staring at me or if they were I never noticed nor cared. I also no longer felt all doom and gloom. I sorta felt happy. I was enjoying spending some much needed time with my sister. I think even my hatred for Edward had dulled a little.

"There you are," Edward said, appearing behind me.

"Hey," I said, turning around to face him, smiling. Okay, the smile might have been the giveaway.

"You've been drinking," he stated, though he didn't seem nowhere near as pissed off as I had expected him to be.

"Just a little."

"Who was your supplier?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at my sister.

Kate shrugged. "She needed to relax. I helped her out. She's not doing any harm. You should ease up on her."

Edward nodded. "I just came by to check that you're okay," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

His sudden interest in my well-being caught me off guard. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good. Do you need anything?"

"No. I'm fine."

Edward leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead, taking me by surprise. "Okay, I have something I need to go and take care of. If you need something and I'm not back, ask Marcus."

"On our wedding night?" I asked, shocked.

Edward sighed. "I know. I promise I won't be long, but if you need me to stay, I can stay."

I shook my head. "No. It's okay. I'll be fine."

He nodded and walked away.

"Aww look at you two," Kate smiled. "Being all nice to each other and stuff."

"Shut up," I said, picking up a peanut from the dish on the table and tossing it at her.

"Give it a few weeks and I bet you'll be all googly-eyed and in love," she said, popping the peanut in her mouth.

I rolled my eyes. "Not a chance." Kate smiled, but never said a word. "So where do you think he's going?" I asked, glancing around the room to see if I could see him.

Kate shrugged. "He said he's taking care of something, then that means he's taking care of something. You know better than to ask questions."

"I know," I sighed. "I just didn't think he would be working on our wedding night."

"He offered to stay, did he not? If you wanted him to stay then you should have spoken up. You can't expect him to be a mind reader."

"I didn't want him to stay. I just… I want to know what's going on. You, him, dad, you all know something and none of you are willing to let me in on the secret. I want to know what's going on."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kate said, shoving another glass of champagne into my hand. "Here, drink up."

~TTTB~

I think I may have had one too many. The room was spinning. I felt as if I was going to throw up. I wanted to sleep, but the table was so uncomfortable.

"How many has she had?" I heard Edward ask. He didn't sound happy.

"A few," Kate replied. "It's her wedding night. She's allowed a drink."

"A drink, yes, but she looks absolutely wasted."

"She's not that bad," Kate protested.

"Kate, she can barely keep her eyes open," Garrett argued.

I felt someone lift me, but I struggled to focus on their face. "I've got you," Edward whispered into my hair. "Close your eyes."

"I want to go to bed," I moaned.

"I'm taking you to the hotel suite right now." They were the last words I heard before I passed out. I was out cold until he laid me down on the bed and then the urge to throw up became too strong.

"Toilet!" I shouted, sitting up and covering my mouth.

Edward pointed in the direction of the en suite and I ran, stumbling over my own feet. I just made it to the bowl in time before I emptied up the entire contents of my stomach. I groaned, sitting back when I finished. Edward pulled the hair away from my face. "You okay? You finished?"

I nodded, regretting the action instantly. The room was still spinning. Edward scooped me up into his arms and carried me back through to the bed.

"Here," he said, handing me a bottle of water from the mini bar. "Drink this." I shook my head and then groaned. "Trust me. It will help you feel a lot better in the morning."

"I want to feel better now," I moaned, but I took the bottle anyway and began drinking it.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, sitting down across from me.

"What for?" I asked confused.

"I shouldn't have left you alone for this long and then you wouldn't have gotten into this mess."

"It's okay. I think Marcus did try to warn me, but I wouldn't listen. I didn't realize alcohol was evil."

"C'mon," Edward said, lifting my legs up and pulling the cover back. "Sleep it off. You will feel better in the morning."

I complied, because all I really wanted to do was sleep. I hate this unsteady feeling. Edward covered me up and kissed my forehead. This tender side of him was unfamiliar, but I liked it. Though it would be harder to hate him if he kept it up.

 **A/N:** We will start to get answers in the next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Update days will be changing to a **Wednesday** , and updates will only be happening once a week for the near future.

Big thanks to my girls Tiffany, Sherry, Cristina & Paige. xx

 **Chapter 13**

I groaned the next morning as I woke up. My mouth felt like sandpaper and my head was throbbing. Was I dying? I was dying, right? I hadn't felt this ill since I had the flu when I was ten. Why the hell did people drink if this was how they felt the following day? I cradled my head, willing the pain to stop, too scared to move in case the feeling of sickness returned. Oh God, Edward had seen me throw up last night. How embarrassing. Speaking of Edward, where was he? I remember he had taken me to the hotel suite, but had he stayed? Where had he slept? I opened my eyes, scanning the room for him. I found him lying on the bed beside me, watching me. His eyes looked heavy and red, like he hadn't slept at all. "How are you feeling?" he asked me, seeming genuinely concerned.

"Like I've just been run over," I croaked, my voice hoarse.

Edward smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Maybe you'll listen to me the next time, then, huh?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me.

I shook my head, instantly regretting the action. It had only made the pounding worse. "Don't worry about it. I'm never drinking again."

"We'll see." Edward got out the bed and went over to the mini bar, returning a few seconds later with a glass of orange juice. "Here, drink this and take these," he said, handing me two pills. "It should help make you feel better."

I leaned up on my elbow, taking them both from him. "Thank you," I whispered. I swallowed the pills and drank the juice, praying that they were fast-acting.

"I'm going for a shower," Edward stated, making his way to the bathroom.

"Erm," I called after him, "did you, uh, sleep there all night?" I was only just now realizing that he had been in the same bed with me.

"No."

"No?" I asked, confused.

"I didn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"Because I was worried about you. I was terrified that you would be sick in your sleep and choke to death."

"Oh."

Edward never said anything else as he turned and headed to the en suite. I sat for several minutes staring around the room, thinking about what he said, before I spotted the TV remote on the nightstand. I picked it up and turned the TV on, planning to channel surf until I found something that caught my attention. The TV went to the last station it had been on, CNN. I went to change the channel until the news headline caught my attention.

 _ **Breaking News: Shooting in New York, two dead. Suspected Mob activity.**_

That was when I realized the reporter was standing outside of _my_ house. My hand went to my mouth as I watched the news report in horror.

" _Known Don_ _,_ _Charlie Swan and wife, Renee Swan were gunned down last night, outside their home, in what is believed to be a drive-by shooting. It is unknown at this time if this was retaliation from another_ _mob_ _organization_ _, but_ _officers on-scene suspect it was. Both, Charlie and his wife, were pronounced dead at the scene, as well as a known associate from another mob…"_

 _Dead._ The word swirled and twirled around in my head as I tried to make sense of it, but no matter how I looked at it, it just didn't make sense. Had my dad been in trouble? Was that why he had sent me away, to keep me safe? If that was the case, why hadn't he just told me? Why all the secrecy?

I got out of bed and began pacing the room, my hangover long forgotten, a new kind of sickness was now settling in the pit of my stomach. My parents were gone. They were dead. I would never see them again, and the worse part about it was the last time I had seen them I had refused to say goodbye. I had been so angry at them for sending me away that I had just walked straight out the door without so much as a word goodbye. I hadn't even glanced back once.

Tears of regret streamed down my face as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold it together. I hadn't spoken to them in two weeks. Edward hadn't permitted any communication with them, and now they were just… _gone_ … _forever_. I would never get to hear my mother laugh again or see her smile. I would never feel my father's strong arms around me or get to tell him that I loved him. My papa and mama were gone.

No, no, no! Something about this wasn't right. The news report had to be wrong. They couldn't be dead, they just couldn't be. I, uh, I had to go to New York. I had to see this for myself. Maybe if I saw it with my own eyes, I could figure out what had happened, who had done this. But I knew there was no way that Edward was going to just let me go. If I wanted to go to New York I had to be smart about it. Looking around the hotel suite I spotted his car keys were on the coffee table by the sofa. I strained my ears to see if I could still hear the shower running and I could. Though I knew he would be out at any moment. If I wanted to go, I had to go now.

I opened my suitcase and pulled out the first clothes that came to hand, quickly changing and pulling on a pair of shoes. I grabbed my purse and Edward's car keys before opening the door. I opened it slowly, peeking out into the hall, searching for any guards on duty. There weren't. I went straight to the elevator. We were on the top floor so I wouldn't need to see anyone else until I got to the foyer. Hopefully, there wasn't anyone standing on guard down there, but if my parents really were dead, I found it doubtful. His family would be on high alert.

When I reached the foyer I spotted one guard by the main entrance. He was looking the other way, staring out into the street and apparently he hadn't heard the elevator. I knew there was no way I would be able to walk past him out the door, and I could already feel my phone vibrating in my purse, which likely meant Edward was out of the shower and now looking for me. Time was ticking. I had to make my move now.

I noticed a staff door on the other side of the foyer. It was my only choice. I managed to tip toe over to it without drawing the guard's attention. The door led to a long corridor which I ran down as fast I could. The corridor led to the kitchen, which was full of life, the staff was buzzing around everywhere. I presumed they were getting ready for breakfast. Luckily they were too busy to notice me.

There was a guard at the far side of the kitchen. He was chatting to one of the kitchen staff. He was also covering the only exit. If I wanted out I had to get past him. I thought of distracting him, but I knew that was more likely to backfire on me, resulting in me getting caught. No, I had to go for the option that would draw the least attention. I caught sight of a uniform laying over a stool. I quickly pulled on the jacket, fastening it up. I then put the hat on and tucked my hair underneath. Hopefully, the guard was too preoccupied to take any real notice of me. I took a deep breath and walked towards the door as if I belonged there. No one bat an eye as I escaped through backdoor.

When I got out into the alley, I discarded the uniform and hurried towards the street. My phone was constantly vibrating by now. I figured Edward had seen the news and knew what I was up to. It was only a matter of time before he realized that I had taken his car keys and was going for his car. I had to hurry.

His car was parked a few spaces away from the alley. I didn't waste any time getting into it and pulling away. I think I held my breath the entire time, only feeling like I was finally able to breathe when I was a safe distance away from the hotel, a safe distance away from him. I had done it. I had gotten away. Now it was time to go to New York and find out what was really happening.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** A big thank you to my girls Sherry, Tiffany, Cristina & Paige for all that they do.

Thanks goes to Tarbecca for finding TTTB in the Fic Dive this week.

And to all of you for your reviews/follows/favs

 **Chapter 14**

Edward kept calling my cell over and over again. His damn calls were getting in the way of my Map app, which I needed it to see where the fuck I was going. He was pissing me the hell off, to the point that I eventually got lost and answered the phone in anger. "What!?" I snapped.

"Isabella, turn that car around, right now!" Edward roared. He was pissed off too, but what did he honestly expect? He had been keeping me in the dark for weeks. I had just found out that my parents were dead via the fucking news.

"Did you know?" I snarled. "Did you fucking know that they were dead?"

"No," he said, sighing in a way that I could envision him running his hand through his hair, like he did most of the time when I stressed him out.

"But you knew they were in trouble, right!? You knew they were in fucking trouble and you never told me."

"Isabella," Edward sighed. "Please, just turn the car around and we'll talk. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"I don't want to talk," I hissed. "My parents are dead, Edward. They are fucking dead. You had your chance to talk and you wouldn't!" I shouted, taking a right turn, hoping it would take me back to the correct road. I felt as if I was going around and around in circles, probably cause I was. He had me so wound up that I couldn't think straight.

"I know and I'm sorry. Believe me. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. I didn't believe a word he said. He was only sorry because he wanted me to come back. He wasn't actually sorry because of his choices. In fact, I bet if he was given the chance he would do everything the same way again.

"Please, Isabella. Turn the car around and come back. We'll talk."

I shook my head. "No. I'm going to New York. I have to see if they're dead for myself," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

"You can't drive to New York," he hissed.

"I can!" I shouted, thinking, _just watch me._

"You do realize it will take you about ten hours to get there? I can fly it in two. I will be there before you and I won't let you go anywhere near that house. It's not safe, not to mention the place is crawling with cops. Come on, Isabella. Use your common sense."

I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears. A sob wracked free from my chest. I wouldn't let him stop me. I was going to New York, whether he liked it or not.

"You shouldn't even be driving," he muttered. "You're gonna end up getting yourself killed. Please, Isabella. Just pull the car over. I'll come and get you."

"I don't want you to come and get me!" I screamed. "I don't want you anywhere near me. You knew. You fucking knew and you let it happen." I slammed my hands against the steering wheel in frustration. He made me so fucking angry. They all did. They all knew and they did nothing to stop it.

Edward sighed. "Please, just let me explain."

"There is nothing to explain. Go fuck yourself, Ed-"

I heard the horn blast too late. I had run a red light at an intersection, pulling out in front of oncoming traffic. I slammed on the brakes in a fit of panic and screamed as I t-boned the right side of a car. My car then spun around slamming my driver's side into a second car. My head banged off the steering wheel and the side window, making my vision blur and my head throb. I could feel something warm trickling down my face.

"Isabella, Isabella," I was faintly aware of Edward calling out my name as I tried to regain my senses, but the more I tried to focus the worse everything seemed to become. I grunted as I tried to unfasten my seatbelt, but it was jammed, restricting my movements. I think I blacked out after that because the next thing I knew Edward was opening the passenger side door. "Are you okay?" he asked, worried. He gently touched the side of my head, wincing a little. "That's going to need stitches. Does it hurt anywhere else?" He asked, leaning into the car, trying to unfasten my seatbelt.

"No," I groaned.

"Marcus, give me your knife," Edward said, reaching out of the car. He cut me free seconds later and put the knife in his pocket, lifting me into his arms. I cradled my head into his neck, wincing a little. "I wish you had listened to me," Edward mumbled.

"And I wish you had told me," I replied.

We never spoke again as he carried me to a car parked behind the one I had totaled. He lay me down in the backseat and closed the door. I heard him ordering Marcus to deal with this mess and then I zoned out.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at his house, lying on one of the sofas in the main living room. Some old man was examining my head, it hurt like hell. I tried to wave him away.

"Isabella, he's only trying to help you," Edward said, stepping into my line of sight. If I thought he had looked like shit this morning, he looked even worse now, but I refused to allow myself to feel sorry for him.

"I don't need his help," I said, batting at the old man when he tried to touch me again.

"You need stitches," the old man said, glaring at me. "Now are you going to lie still or am I going to have to get them to hold you down?"

I glared at him, but never said anything. Part of me did believe he would get someone to hold me if I refused to lie still and I wouldn't allow them to humiliate me anymore. I lay there scowling at him the entire time as he stitched up my head. When he was finished Edward dismissed him, telling him that his father would take care of the bill. Edward then came over and sat down on the sofa next to my feet. "I'm sorry."

"You've said that already," I said, pulling my legs away from him and sitting up.

"And I'll keep on saying it until you believe me."

"I wouldn't waste your breath."

"Look, I didn't know things were going to go down this way or I would never have kept it from you. Your father got into bed with the wrong people. They tried to hurt Kate and threatened to hurt you. We were only trying to keep you safe."

"If that was the case, then you should have told me. Do you know how hurtful it is to think that your own parents have abandoned you? Don't you think I would have cooperated if I had known?"

Edward sighed, looking down at his hands. "I never wanted to keep it from you, Isabella. That was your father's choice. That was part of the terms for our marriage. He planned to come and speak to you once it had all been taken care of and explain everything. I had to respect his decision."

I rolled my eyes. He was so full of crap.

"I know I fucked up by not telling you, don't think that it didn't cross my mind every time we argued, every time I saw you hurting, but I had given him my word. I don't break my word," Edward said, looking at me to make sure I was listening.

"I won't pretend to understand his choices or how he managed to get involved with the Russians and ended up putting his own family in danger. We were trying to help him sort everything out, take care of the Russians, but he had traitor in his ranks. They were always one step ahead of us. It was one of our men that got gunned down in the street with your mother and father. We were trying to keep them safe, Isabella. I'm sorry that we failed them."

I used the sleeve of my top to wipe away tears, realizing that I had maybe been too hard on Edward. He may not have made the right choices, but he wasn't completely to blame for everything that had happened. My father was. He was the one that had made the wrong business decisions. He was the one that put us all in danger.

"You said there was a traitor," I said, when I finally felt able to speak "Who?"

"Billy," Edward stated. "It has to be Billy. He's the only one who has disappeared since the shooting."

I shook my head in disbelief. Billy was my father's right-hand man. I had known him all my life. I couldn't believe that he would just turn his back on my father, on his family.

"I know it's a lot to digest-"

"Isabella!" Kate screamed, running into the room. Her eyes were red and her face puffy. She looked like she had been crying for hours. "Oh my God, you're okay." She came running over to me and grabbed me, hugging me tight before pulling away and shaking me. "Do you know you scared the crap out of me!?" She roared. "I don't know what I would have done if I lost you too. Don't you ever do anything like that to me again. Do you hear me? I could have lost you... I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."

I pulled her back into my arms, hugging her fiercely. "It's okay, I'm okay," I assured her.

Edward slipped out the room, leaving the two of us alone to talk. I was grateful for the privacy. I realized Kate was all I had left. I didn't agree with her hiding things from me or the way she had treated me, but I was willing to move past it all because I couldn't bear to lose her. I couldn't bear to lose anyone else.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thanks goes to my ladies, Sherry, Paige, Tiffany  & Cristina.

Big thank you to Fic Sisters for featuring TTTB on their site on Friday.

As always thanks for the reviews/follows/favs

 **Chapter 15**

Kate and I sat for hours and hours, talking. I was struggling to come to terms with my father's choices. I didn't understand why he hadn't just told me they were in trouble or that I was in trouble. I was sure I would have handled the entire situation a lot better if he had. I would have probably given Edward an easier time of it too, and I certainly wouldn't have worn the black dress to my wedding.

Sure, I would have been scared and worried, but I wouldn't have been planning my escape every two seconds. What if I had gotten away? What if his enemies had caught up to me when I had escaped? I shuddered at the thought. No wonder Edward was stressed out with me.

I wish Edward had just told me. I don't care if he is a man of his word or not. He is my husband. God, that word sounded so strange. I'm seventeen. I shouldn't have a husband. I should be out having fun with my friends. Not married… But he should have thought more of our marriage than a promise he had made to my father. If he had, things would have been so different.

"He was ashamed, Isabella," Kate sighed. "Embarrassed. It was hard enough for him to know that his men thought less of him. He didn't want his daughters to think less of him, too. That was why he chose to hide it from us. He wanted to fix everything before he told us, but when I was attacked, he had no choice other than to tell Garrett and me."

"Attacked?" I said, glancing up at her. "What happened?" I remembered her saying before that Garrett had only allowed her to come to the wedding because Edward had assured him it was safe, but at the time I had been too angry about being kept in the dark to really worry about what had happened to her.

Kate looked down at her hands, they were shaking. Clearly, whatever had happened to her was still very raw for her to think about. I reached over and squeezed her hand, showing her that I was there for her. She looked up at me and smiled, but her eyes were full of sadness. "Garrett and I were out, having dinner in one of our favorite restaurants. We were sitting at our table talking and enjoying each other's company. When all of a sudden, Garrett grabbed me and shoved me to the floor, shielding me with his body. I've never been so scared in all my life, Izzy. I had no idea what was going on and by the time we hit the floor, the sound of gunfire filled the air. I thought we were going to die."

I couldn't begin to understand what my sister had been through. The closest I had come to trouble was pissing Edward off, and to be honest, I was kind of thankful that was all I had to worry about. Edward had kept me safe from the moment he took me into his care, even if that meant protecting me from myself.

"When the gunfire finally stopped, I called out to Garrett, but he never answered me. I tried to move, but he was still on top of me. I could feel something wet on my back. I knew something was wrong. It took me a good few minutes, but I finally managed to slide out from underneath him and turn him over. He had taken two bullets in his abdomen and was in a lot of pain, passing in and out of consciousness." Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at me. "I thought I was going to lose him," she sobbed, losing all composure.

"I'm sorry, Kate," I said, pulling her into my arms and holding her tight. I felt like a shitty sister for giving her such a hard time of it after everything she had been through.

It took her several minutes before Kate was calm enough to talk again. "We were lucky an associate of Garrett's was at the restaurant. He helped me get him to a doctor, if we hadn't gotten there as soon as we did, Garrett may not have made it. God, I don't know what I would do without him."

"I'm glad you are both okay," I said, because I was really unsure what else to say. I didn't particularly know Garrett all that well, but he seemed nice. Well, when he wasn't pissing me off, and I would have been heartbroken if anything were to happen to my sister. Although, I didn't see her as much now as I used to when we lived together, I still loved her, even if she did piss me off ninety-five percent of the time.

"Yeah, me too," Kate sniffled. "I love him. I don't know what I would do without him. Listen, I know you are angry for me not telling you what was going on, but I honestly didn't know this was going to happen or I would have told you whether it was my place to tell you or not. When I found out that you didn't know, I asked Garrett about it and he said you weren't to know and I accepted that. I called Papa, he said he planned to come up after the wedding to make amends with you and fill you in on everything that happened. He was sorry that he couldn't see you get married. He didn't mean to hurt you, Izzy, only protect you. I know it may not seem like that, but he loved you. He loved us both."

I nodded. I knew my father loved me, even if it had been hard to believe these past two weeks. I was relieved in a way, to find out that he had been protecting me and that he hadn't disowned me. Not that it made it any easier to bear.

We both sat in silence for some time, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I wrapped my arms around my knees, trying to make the pain easier, but it didn't help. I wondered what was going to happen next. I must have asked the thought out loud because Kate replied.

"We wait," she sighed. "We wait until the cops release the bodies and then we organized their funeral. We give them the best send-off we can."

"What about the Russians and Billy?" I asked, wondering if they would be brought to justice for what they had done to our parents.

Kate reached over and touched my arm. "The men will take care of it."

It wasn't exactly the answer I was looking for, but I knew it was the best that I was going to get. We weren't supposed to be involved in the inner workings of the _family_. We weren't supposed to know. "I still can't believe that Billy would betray our father. They were always so close. It just doesn't make sense."

"I know," Kate sighed. "I'm not sure what I believe anymore."

Edward and Garrett walked into the room several minutes later. They both looked extremely worn out. I wasn't sure how Edward was still standing after staying up all night, especially after the stresses of the past two days.

"Kate, it's time to go," Garrett said, walking over to my sister and pulling her to her feet.

"Go," I said, looking between them both, wondering where it was that they were going.

"It's late," Garrett stated. "We should head back to our hotel and get some rest. I think we could do with a good night's sleep."

"Hotel?" I said, looking at Edward. "Why can't they stay here? I mean it's not like you don't have room."

Edward shrugged. "I offered, but Garrett wants to go to the hotel."

I looked at Kate, my eyes pleading with her to stay here. I didn't like the idea of her leaving. I wanted her close. I wanted her in my line of sight. So I would know that she was okay.

"We'll be back in the morning," Kate said, offering me a sympathetic smile. "Garrett's right, we could all do with a rest. Take time to let the news sink in."

I stood up and pulled her into my arms, my eyes filling with tears. "Promise you will call me if anything happens," I said, though I was unsure what I would do if she needed my help. Ask Edward to help her?

"I promise," she said, pulling back and smiling at me. She wiped the tears away from my eyes. "Go and get some rest, Izzy."

After they left, I stayed in the living room, sitting on the couch. I knew I should probably try to rest, but I wasn't sure I would be able to sleep, not with everything running through my mind. Edward joined me. He sat down beside me, but never spoke. I think he just wanted me to know that he was there for me if I needed him. I appreciated that.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** It's Wednesday somewhere, right?

Big thanks to my ladies Sherry, Paige, Tiffany & Cristina for their help.

As always, thanks for your reviews/follows/favs x x

 **Chapter 16**

I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up with my head on Edward's lap. The room was dark, but I could tell by his deep breathing that he was sound asleep. I gently got off the sofa, trying my best not to wake him and headed through to the kitchen, turning on the lights as I went. I looked in the fridge, knowing that I should probably eat. I hadn't eaten since yesterday, but I didn't see anything I liked. So I settled for a can of coke instead. I grabbed a couple of painkillers from the drawer for my headache and headed to one of the various dining tables. I sat with my back to the large window, staring at the can in my hand.

My thoughts dwelled on my parents and how I had left things with them. I would never be able to fix things or take back how I had acted. I prayed that they knew I loved them, and I had only acted out of anger. The truth was I loved them deeply. Yes, I was a spoiled brat and used to getting my own way, especially after Kate had moved out of the house; but after showing them how upset I was about my circumstances, I would have forgiven them because I loved them.

They had always been good parents. Sure, these past few weeks had been hell, but two bad weeks didn't take away from years and years of love, and now that I knew their reasoning, it was a little easier to bear. Though, I do wish my father had come to me, talked to me. I knew the only reason he didn't was because of his pride. He was a proud man, and like Kate had said, he was embarrassed. Embarrassed that he made a mistake, but God knows I would have forgiven him. I wouldn't have thought any less of him. If only he had come to me.

The truth was I knew I had been unreasonable these past two weeks. It wasn't like I didn't know an arranged marriage was in my future. I had merely acted out because things hadn't gone down the way I had planned, but my father had never made me any promises that I would have a marriage like Kate's. I had just assumed that I would because that was what I had wanted. I was sure, in fact, I was more than sure, I was certain that these past two weeks wouldn't have been nearly as bad if I had only tried to work with Edward instead of against him. I had pushed his buttons and he had pushed mine. We had both hit each other and said some pretty nasty things. It wasn't the best start to a marriage, but it was what it was. I honestly wasn't sure where we would go from here. I still hated him in a way, even though I now knew that everything wasn't entirely his fault. He had still treated me unfairly, but I knew he wasn't going anywhere and neither was I. We were stuck with each other for better or worse.

I decided to take a bath to pass the time because sitting here, dwelling on things, I couldn't change certainly wasn't doing me any favors. There was a bathroom downstairs with a large tub and a view of the city. I had wanted to use it since I had moved here, but had always opted to use the shower in my en suite instead for various reasons.

I turned the dimmer switch on to low as I entered the room and began to run the bath. While I was waiting for the water to fill I checked my cell phone to see if Kate had messaged. She hadn't. I hoped that meant she and Garrett were safe. I'll admit I didn't understand why she and Garrett's needed to be alone, partly because I had never been in a relationship myself. I didn't know what it was like being that close to someone. I hoped that I would find out one day. I hoped that Edward would become that someone, because it wasn't as if I could go out and find someone else. He was it for me. Our kind didn't believe in divorce and I honestly didn't think I could survive being stuck in a loveless marriage.

When the bath was ready, I took off my clothes and placed them on the counter before stepping into the warm water. As I began to sit down something outside caught my eye. It was a shadow moving in the darkness. It took me a few seconds before I realized that shadow was a person.

 _There was someone outside._

Fear gripped a hold of me as my thoughts turned towards the Russians, who were responsible for killing my parents. Was it them? Had they come to kill me too? Had they already gotten to Kate? I let out a strangled cry as I stumbled from the bath, my wet feet slipping on the tiles as I hurried to grab a towel. I wanted to call to Edward for help, but I couldn't seem to find my voice.

I quickly wrapped the towel around me and ran out of the bathroom; hurrying towards the last place I had seen Edward, the living room. I didn't get that far. I found him in the kitchen, with his head stuck in the fridge. He turned to face me as I approached him. His eyes went wide as he looked me over. I could only imagine how I looked. "Isabella, what's wrong?"

"There's someone outside," I cried, looking behind me, half expecting someone to be following me. My heart was pounding and my entire body was shaking. I truly believed we were both in danger.

Edward caught my chin and turned me to face him. "What happened?" he said softly.

"I, uh, I was going to take a bath, and as I was getting in I saw something moving around outside. When I realized that something was _someone_ I came running out here."

Edward sighed, "It was just my security team."

"Security team?" I said, repeating the words. In all the time I had been here I had never known him to have a security team. It had only ever been Marcus and the man at the gate.

"Yeah," Edward replied. "I'm sorry I should have told you. I was going to tell you. I guess with everything that's been going on, it just slipped my mind… I've increased the security around the house for the time being."

I took a deep breath, nodding my head, willing myself to calm down. It was just his security. I should have known that. I gripped the towel, pulling it tighter around me, realizing how stupid I must have looked. My eyes filled with tears as I shook my head. I was an idiot.

"Hey," Edward said, rubbing my arm. "It's okay. There is no need to get upset. You're bound to be on edge with everything that has happened, and I am sorry, I should have told you. I didn't think."

"It's not your fault," I muttered, though I wasn't annoyed with him, only myself.

"Why don't you go and get dressed and I'll make us something to eat?"

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry."

"Maybe not, but you need to eat to keep your strength up," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders and turning me around. "C'mon, I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Okay," I said, sighing in defeat.

"Oh, and Isabella," Edward called after me.

"Yeah?"

"I would appreciate it if you didn't use the downstairs bathroom again, at least while the extra security is here. I don't want my men seeing any more of my wife than they should."

I was sure my face was scarlet as I turned around and walked away from him. Had his men seen me in all my glory? God, I hoped not. Surely they would have had the decency to look away once they saw me in the bathroom running a bath. I hoped so. The lights had been dimmed so maybe even if they had looked they couldn't see anything. I prayed that was the case. God, I was mortified. I would never have gone in there if I knew he had men patrolling outside.

When I returned to the bathroom, I unplugged the bath and turned off the light, collecting my clothes on the way out. I had thought of putting them back on, but I didn't want to risk getting changed in that room again. It would be just as quick to go to my room and change.

As I got dressed, in a strappy top and yoga pants, my thoughts drifted back to how I had reacted to the _shadow_. It wasn't like me to act that way. I had never been timid in my life, but then I had always felt able to defend myself. When I thought there was someone outside I knew I had no way of protecting myself. I was defenseless. I didn't like it and I didn't like having to go to Edward to save me. I wanted my gun back. I wanted to be able to protect myself. I wasn't sure if Edward would like the idea, but I was more than willing to argue my point.

When I went back into the kitchen, Edward was standing at the stove, with a wok skillet in his hand tossing fresh noodles and vegetables. I had to admit it smelled divine, even if I didn't feel hungry.

"Take a seat," he said, glancing at me. "It'll be ready in a minute."

"Actually," I said, shifting from foot to foot, wondering how he was going to react. I thought I might as well get it over with now. "There was something I wanted to say." Edward motioned for me to continue. "I was thinking about it and I would like my gun back and before you say no, you really had no right to take it in the first place. My father-"

"Okay."

"Okay?" I said, surprised that he had agreed so easily.

"Okay," Edward said, nodding.

"Aren't you going to say no?" I asked, confused.

"Do you want me to say no?"

"No."

"Well then, no, I'm not going to say no," he said, smirking at me. "Are you going to sit down?" he asked, motioning towards the counter. "Or do you want the gun now?"

"I, uh, would like it now," I said, figuring I should get it back sbefore he changes his mind.

Edward turned off the stove and sat the wok down, motioning for me to follow him. He led me down the hall to his office, where he crossed the room to a large landscape painting. He pulled it back to reveal a safe, which he opened with a few twists of the dial. "I want you to know," he said as he retrieved my gun, and turned to face me. "I am only giving you this back for your peace of mind. I don't intend for you to ever need it. I plan to do everything within my power to keep you safe. As your husband, I am willing to lay my life down for yours."

"I, ah." I didn't know what to say. What did you say to that? I was speechless. I was a stranger to him and yet he was willing to die for me. Why? It didn't make sense. Yes, I was his wife, but it wasn't as if I wasn't replaceable, not to him at least. I was sure he knew me just as well as the next woman to come along, into his life.

"Shall we go and eat?" Edward asked, placing the gun in my open hand. He walked out of the room, not waiting for an answer. I stared after him for several minutes before quietly following him.

One thing was for sure. I didn't know my husband at all.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** A big thank you to Paige, Cristina, Tiffany & Sherry for helping me with this chapter.

As I said in my group, now that it is the holidays updates will be a little slower.

Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry I don't have the time/energy to reply to them all, but please know that I read and treasure every one xx

 **Chapter 17**

The next few days passed more or less the same. Kate, Rosalie and Esme came over to spend time with me while Edward went out to take care of business. In all honesty, I would have been a lot happier on my own, but Edward had said he didn't want me to be left alone all day. I don't know what he thought I was going to do. It wasn't as if I was planning anything stupid. I would have probably sat in bed, crying and eating ice cream, while I thought about my parents.

Instead, I spent the majority of the day in the main sitting room with the girls, watching movies and talking. Well, I mostly listened while they talked, but I will admit it was a good distraction, and I did have some fun. Kate got along with both Esme and Rosalie, which was nice. I hoped that meant that she would be invited to a lot of the future family events. I wasn't sure I would see her otherwise.

In the evenings, when they left, I usually went to my room to enjoy the peace and quiet. Sometimes Edward would leave me to my own devices, other times he would ask me to spend time with him, like he had tonight. He had Marcus collect us Italian food from one of the restaurants in the city. They didn't usually do take-out, but Edward was an exception. I figured they were just one of the many people in the city who were eager to please him and his family. Just like Edward was eager to please me. I guess I should be grateful that he was trying, but I knew it was going to take a lot more than Italian food and chitchat to make our relationship work.

"Why did you want to marry someone with a target on their head?" I asked, because in all honesty the question was driving me crazy. Surely, it would have been easier for him to marry someone a little less complicated?

"Because I like a challenge," Edward said, smirking at me as he popped a piece of chicken in his mouth. I shoved his arm, glaring at him, telling him I wanted a serious answer. Edward shrugged his shoulders, a serious expression taking over his face. "Our fathers had always planned on uniting our families. I guess you could say our wedding had been arranged for a long time. The date just got pushed forward a little when you got into trouble."

I screwed up my face. "If our wedding had been planned for so long, then why me and not Kate? I mean she's closer to your age. Surely, she would have been a better match?"

"You're just full of questions," Edward said, smiling.

"I have an inquisitive mind," I said, grimacing.

"When we were younger our families used to be closer. My father said you were the one I always chose to go to when we visited. I was very protective of you, so they both thought that we would be a good match."

"I don't remember you. I don't remember you coming to visit."

"You were very young. I am seven years older, and by the time you would be old enough to remember me I was in training. So, on the rare occasion that we did visit, I didn't see you."

"Oh," I said, trying to process everything he had said. I couldn't believe that our marriage had been arranged all this time. Why hadn't my father told me? Why hadn't I been given the chance to get to know Edward? It was yet another thing, in a long line of shit that my father had done wrong.

If I had been given the chance to know Edward, I wouldn't have fought him. Instead, I would have welcomed the safety and protection that he had offered me. None of this mess would have happened, but then, Edward wasn't entirely innocent either, was he? Why hadn't he tried to get to know me? Why hadn't he come to visit me, even introduced himself?

"Don't," Edward said, gently touching my arm. "I can see you overanalyzing everything, Isabella. I know things could have been handled better, for that I can only apologize. If I could, I would go back and do it all over again, but I can't. So, all I can do is apologize and hope that one day you will understand my actions and forgive me."

I nodded because I too hoped that one day I would be able to understand and forgive him, but I knew that today wasn't that day. Everything was still too raw and confusing. I knew he was trying to make an effort, but that didn't erase what I was feeling.

I stood up from the dining table and walked over to the window, looking out at the lights of the city in the night sky, trying to distract myself from the big aching hole in my chest, but it wasn't working. I couldn't help but think what kind of life I would have had if things had gone down differently. "If my father," I stuttered, "If my father hadn't gotten into trouble, if he hadn't needed you to take me away, when would I have found out about the engagement?"

Edward was silent for several minutes, but I didn't bother turning around to see if he was still there. I could feel his eyes burning into my back. I simply waited for his answer.

"I would have kept an eye on you, watching you from afar, but I wouldn't have made myself known to you until your twentieth birthday. After that, I would have begun courting you and depending on how well that would have gone, would have depended on when I asked you to marry me."

I nodded as bitter tears stung my eyes. I knew it. It was just as I had expected. If my father hadn't screwed up, my life would have been everything I had hoped for. I leaned my head against the glass, closing my eyes as silent tears spilled down my cheeks.

I heard Edward's chair scrape against the wooden floor, followed by the sound of his shoes walking towards me. "I'm sorry," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head, shrugging away from his touch. He didn't get to apologize his way out of this either. He wasn't exactly innocent. He could have come to see me. He could have introduced himself and been my friend before he was my husband. Even if he couldn't have done that, he could have treated me differently when he picked me up all those weeks ago. He saw my heart was breaking, and he did nothing to comfort me. He treated me like he was a cold, heartless criminal, making me feel worthless; but then, I guess that is what he is. Should I really expect him to treat me any differently?

My father had worshiped the ground my mother had walked on, but look where that had gotten her. She was dead. "Argh." I grabbed my hair in frustration. Everything was so confusing. I could no longer tell the difference between north and south.

"Talk to me," Edward pleaded. "Things won't get any better if we don't talk."

I scoffed at him. "Now you want to talk? What about when you kidnapped me? When you stole my phone? When you tore me away from my father's knee when I was begging him not to send me away? You weren't so talkative then."

"I know," Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I was angry with your father, angry that you were upset, and angry that things were so bad that I had to take you away. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, but I did. I had to get rid of your phone because someone could have been tracking it. There were only a handful of people who knew where you were going and we needed to keep it that way for your safety."

"You couldn't have taken the time to explain that to me, or let me transfer my pictures and stuff?"

"Like I said, I'm sorry."

"Sorry," I said, mimicking him. "Is that all you can say?"

"No… would you prefer it if I didn't apologize?"

"No, I would prefer it if you weren't such an asshole!" I shouted, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"You haven't been so easy to live with yourself."

"Yeah, well you only have yourself to blame for that," I said in anger, glaring at him, then turning back around to face the window.

"I know."

We both stood in silence for several minutes before the sound of Edward's cell broke the quietness. Edward excused himself and walked away to answer his phone. I watched him in the reflection of the glass. He spoke animatedly for a few minutes before returning to my side, saying the words I both dreaded and longed to hear. "The police have released your parents bodies."

I took a deep, shaky breath. "Okay."

"You should try to get some rest. We'll leave for New York first thing in the morning."

I nodded, but I knew I wouldn't find any rest tonight. I excused myself and headed to the solitude of my room, where I paced the floor, waiting for the first sign of daylight.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Thank you to Cristina, Tiffany, Sherry & Paige for working on this for me.

Between holidays and illness I have been feeling rusty so I started a new drabble. Check it out!

I am also hoping to get back to weekly updates for TTTB as soon as I can. I already have the next chapter well under way x

 **Chapter 18**

"I can't," I said as I stared up at my parent's house. Kate had wanted to visit the house when we arrived in New York and I thought I would have been fine, but now that I stood at the bottom of the steps looking up at the house, memories of the last time I was here flooded my mind. I had every opportunity to say goodbye to them and I hadn't. I had every opportunity to tell them I loved them and I didn't. Instead, I had strolled out like the bratty teenager that I was and never looked back. Part of me was glad that I hadn't. It meant I wouldn't be able to remember the hurt and heartache on their faces, but the other part of me was already struggling to recall what they looked like.

Kate grabbed my arm and tried to pull me towards the house. "Come on Izzy, it will be fine."

I shook my head and pulled away from her. "I don't want to go in."

"It's okay," Edward said, coming to my side, and placing his hand on my shoulder. "If she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to."

I sighed with relief, grateful for his support. "Thank you."

"You two go ahead," Edward said, motioning towards Garrett and Kate. "We'll go to the hotel and check-in. I'll send Marcus back with the car and Emmett can stay with you."

"Kate," I called before she could disappear into the house.

"Yeah?"

"Can you find a picture of them for me?"

She stared at me for several seconds before nodding her head. "Yeah, I can do that."

When they went into the house, Edward put his arm around me and began to walk me back towards the car, but before we reached the door I froze. "Where did it happen?" I asked quietly.

"Don't do this to yourself," Edward said, trying to guide me into the car once again, but I refused to go. I needed to know. I needed to see where they had died. Edward sighed when he realized that I wasn't going to cooperate until he had answered my question. He pointed to the left of the car and I slowly walked over to where he had pointed. I looked down at the ground, looking for any signs to say this was where their life had ended, but there was nothing. Not even a dry drop of blood.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, so only I could hear, before I turned and headed back to the car. I climbed in and Edward followed me. We both traveled in silence, I didn't feel like engaging in idle chatter, and Edward seemed to sense that I needed space. When we arrived at the hotel Edward checked us in and carried our bags to our suite, which had four bedrooms. It was big enough to accommodate us all. Edward thought it would be safer if we all stayed together. The rest of his family would join us at the hotel once we had set a date for the funeral.

While he was organizing the bags, I went over to the window to check out the view. It felt so strange to be looking at New York from this angle. This city used to be my home, but now, it was nothing more than a bad memory. Tears started to fill my eyes and before I knew it Edward was by my side, pulling me into his arms. "Shhh," he whispered in my ear. "I've got you." I clung onto his suit as I let everything out, my pain, my guilt, and my shame. I let it all go. I hadn't realized how much I had been bottling it all up until he had put his arms around me.

I have no idea how long we stood there for, all I know is that I eventually ran out of tears and felt weak and tired. Edward guided me through to the bedroom, taking my shoes off and helping me into bed. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but sleep was exactly what I needed. When I woke again, I felt lighter, like the weight of the world was no longer pushing on my shoulders. I wasn't sure if it was because I had eventually let it all out, or if it was because I had finally let Edward in. Either way, I was glad it had happened.

I followed the sound of voices into the main living area. Everyone was gathered around the dining table, eating dinner. I wasn't sure what time it was, but it was pretty dark outside. Edward offered me a smile and patted the empty chair beside him. "How are you feeling?" he asked, as I made my way over to him.

"Better," I mumbled, but I wasn't sure if he heard me. I took the seat beside him. Kate and Garrett were across from me and Emmett to my right. Marcus was on Edward's left.

"I ordered you dinner, I hope you don't mind," Edward said, as he reached for a dish in the center of the table. He lifted the lid off and pushed the plate towards me. I looked down to see he had ordered me Cannelloni, my favorite. Kate must have told him. I wasn't hungry, but I knew I had to eat to keep my strength up, and for some reason I didn't want to hurt Edward's feelings by rejecting the meal.

So I sat quietly, picking at my food as everyone else fell into conversation around me. I would be lying if I said I knew what they were talking about. I kept zoning in and out, only hearing the occasional word or two. It wasn't until Kate actually called my name that I began to pay attention. I looked up and she was staring at me as if waiting for a response.

"Huh?"

"I said I got you a picture," she said, motioning towards a photograph that was lying beside my plate. I stared down at it, speechless. It was one of the four of us. Kate and I were a lot younger in it. If I remembered correctly it had been taken at a family barbeque, which we used to have every year. My dad was sitting on a chair as my mom proudly stood by his side. Kate and I were sitting on his knees, like proper little princesses. We all looked so happy. God, how much I wished we could go back to those times.

A sob escaped my throat before I even knew it was coming. I quickly pushed my chair away from the table and hurried to my room, slamming the door before I broke down in sobs, throwing myself on the bed. I hadn't intended on exiting so dramatically, but I didn't want them to see me cry.I didn't want them to see me weak. I was a Swan, I was supposed to be strong, but then, I wasn't even that. Not anymore. I was married now. I had _his_ name.

"Bella," I heard Edward call out from the other side of the door, followed by a knock. "Can I come in?"

"No. Go away," I mumbled into my pillow.

"Please."

I didn't answer. He must have taken that as a yes, because the next thing I heard was the door opening and then felt the bed sinking beside me. He put his hand on my back, rubbing gentle strokes up and down it as I cried. As much as I wanted to shout at him and tell him to leave me alone, I didn't. I didn't because even though I hated to admit it. I wanted him there. I wanted his soothing touch and kind gestures. I wanted his comfort. I wanted him, at least part of me did.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** A big thank you to my girls Sherry, Cristina, Tiffany & Paige.

Thank you for all the reviews, I'm sorry I haven't replied yet, been so busy writing. Just know that I love and treasure them all xx

 **Chapter 19**

It only took a few days to organize the funeral. I guess money talks. People were practically falling over themselves to please us. It was either that, or it was our name that they feared. Kate did most of the organizing. She seemed to be keeping it together a lot better than I was. I, for some unknown, reason had turned into a blubbering mess. I felt on the verge of tears most of the time. I think being in New York was messing with me. I actually couldn't wait to leave.

Edward and I had been sharing a bed since we had arrived here, which was strange. He had offered to sleep on the couch, but I had felt guilty about letting him. He had been very supportive lately, and we were married. I guess we could at least share a bed. He had been a true gentleman, however, and kept to his side of the bed, never once laying a hand on me. It wasn't until the morning of the funeral, when I woke up crying that he crossed that invisible line. He pulled me into his arms, silently pinning me against his chest. I was getting used to this. I enjoyed his warmth, his scent. Everything just felt right when he held me.

I knew he was slowly breaking down my walls one by one and I knew I shouldn't let him, that I should still be angry with him for everything he had done, but I couldn't help how I felt. I didn't have the strength to be angry anymore, and what was the point of staying angry at him? It wasn't like he was going anywhere and neither was I. If I didn't let him in, I wouldn't have anyone. Kate certainly wasn't as supportive as she should be. I guess we just weren't as close anymore.

"Edward," Emmett called, knocking on our bedroom door, breaking the moment we were sharing.

"Yeah?" Edward answered, as he pulled back to look down at me, his eyes never moving from mine. He used his thumb to wipe away the tears still on my cheeks. At least I had stopped crying now.

"It's ten o'clock," Emmett stated. The funeral was in just over an hour.

"Okay, we're up."

I knew we had to move, I knew we had to go, but I didn't want to break this bubble. I just wanted to stay in this bed forever and forget the rest of the world. Edward cupped my face. "Isabella, I need you to be strong today. The eyes of the world will be upon us and we can't show any sign of weakness, okay? I need you to stand tall at my side, as my wife. Can you do that for me?"

I honestly wasn't sure if I could, but I knew that he was right. I _had_ to be strong today, one way or another. I nodded my head slightly and Edward leaned in and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Thank you. I'll go and get ready in one of the other rooms, and give you some privacy."

I sat on the bed for several minutes after he left, just staring into space with my arms wrapped around my legs. It wasn't until Rosalie came into my room that I finally snapped out of it. "Why aren't you in the shower?" She asked, disapprovingly. She was carrying a garment bag and an overnight bag in her hands. "Come on, move," She said, setting them down on the bed and ushering me to get up. "We have to get ready before we're late."

She sent me into the bathroom, only giving me long enough to shower and no more, before she insisted that I get out. She made me put on a robe and then guided me to the vanity table where she did my hair and makeup. I appreciated her help. I wasn't sure that I had the strength to bother with it all today. Once she was happy with the results she helped me into my dress. It was beautiful, all black, with a lace top. It gathered in at the waist and flowed at the bottom.

"Where did the dress come from?" I asked.

"I bought it for you."

"Thank you. I hadn't even thought about what I would wear."

"I know."

I wondered why Rosalie was suddenly being very helpful. Sure, she had been nice before my disastrous wedding, but we had barely spoken since then, not even when she had come by the house to keep me company. I had a feeling her mother had forced her to be there and she had spent most of the time talking with Kate and Esme, rather than me. As if reading my thoughts Rosalie said, "Look, we're sisters now. I may not have agreed with how you acted, but I can't say I wouldn't have done the same. I'm a spoiled Principessa too. I will try not be to a brat, if you try not to be one also."

I nodded. "I would like that."

"You look beautiful," she said, taking a step back to admire me. "Your parents would have been proud." I felt my eyes water at the mere mention of them. I hoped that they would be proud of me. I prayed that they knew that I loved them. I was just sorry that I didn't get the chance to tell them that one last time. "Here," Rosalie said as she went into her bag, pulling out a pair of sunglasses. "These will help cover up your eyes. And this," She said going into her bag again, "Will help hold you together." She pulled out a pill bottle and emptied two onto my hand.

"What is it?"

"Valium," she said before taking two herself.

I followed her lead and swallowed the pills. I was grateful for anything that could help me today.

~TTTB~

"Isabella, darling, how are you?" Esme asked, as she made her way over to my side, pulling me into her arms and placing a kiss on my cheek. We had gathered down in the hotel lobby as we waited for the cars to arrive to take us to the cemetery.

"I'm okay," I answered, because I honestly felt a lot better. Rosalie pills had already begun to work, releasing their calming effects.

"You look beautiful," she stated, linking her arm with mine and walking me towards the doors. "Don't worry, you are going to be fine today. We are all here to support you. Once we have said our goodbyes to your parents, we will go home and look towards celebrating your birthday."

My birthday, I had completely forgotten about it with everything that had happened. As if it wasn't bad enough that my parents had died on the day of my wedding. They were to be buried two days before my birthday. I wasn't sure I would ever want to celebrate either one of them again.

"I don't feel like celebrating this year," I mumbled.

"Nonsense," Esme said, shaking her head. "Your parents wouldn't want you to miss it and you could use something positive in your life right now. It doesn't need to be a big affair. We can do something small, like the family going out to dinner. How does that sound?"

"I'll think about it." I looked up to see Edward standing at the doors, waiting for me. He offered me his arm and I gladly took it, grateful to be away from his mother. I knew her heart was in the right place, but there was no way I was doing anything birthday related this year, and possibly any other year.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, concerned as he lead the way to the car.

"Your mother was talking about my birthday," I sighed. "Please, Edward. I don't want to celebrate it. I would rather just let it pass by and forget about it. Will you talk to her?"

"Don't worry about it," Edward said, patting my hand. "If you don't want to celebrate it, we won't. I'll handle my mother."

"Thank you," I said, grateful that I didn't need to worry about it.

"It's what I'm here for."

We got in the car after that. Edward and I traveled alone. I think he knew that I needed the space today, away from the hustle and bustle of the family. I was thankful that he seemed to know what I needed these days before I even knew I needed it myself. It was possible, but maybe this marriage wouldn't be a fail after all.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** A huge thanks to my ladies, Paige, Sherry, Tiffany & Cristina xx

 **Chapter 20**

I gripped onto Edward's hand as I watched my parents being lowered into the ground of the family plot. I couldn't believe that this was it. This was goodbye. I so desperately wanted to breakdown and cry, but I knew that Edward was right. I had to hold it together, at least until later. I could feel the eyes of everyone on us from the moment we had left the car. Several people had already attempted to approach us, but Edward's men had made sure that no one had gotten close.

I actually felt safe and secure, even though I knew the Russians were still out there. I knew that Edward was doing everything in his power to keep me safe and would do whatever it took, as would his men. I was a protected woman now. I had my dad to thank for that, even if I didn't agree with his methods. I wasn't sure things would have ended up so well for me had he not married me off. I would be more than likely dead too.

I stepped forward now that they had both been placed in the ground, tossing a white rose onto each of their caskets. It had been my mother's favorite flower. My father used to buy them for her every anniversary. I thought it would be a fitting way to say goodbye to them both. Kate also had one for each of them, but I wasn't sure where she was right now. I glanced up to find her and saw her in Garrett's arms, crying. Do you know? I had barely seen her shed a tear since they had died. I was beginning to wonder if she even loved them as much as I did. Perhaps, she had just been trying to be strong for me?

I turned my attention back to my parents. I silently stood there, telling them how much I loved them and how much I would miss them. Life just wasn't going to be the same without them there. I wasn't sure who I was going to turn to for guidance anymore, or who would hug me and reassure me that everything was going to be alright. I wasn't even sure if I believed that everything was going to be alright. Would the Russians still be after my family? Would Edward's family end up at war with them because of what they had done to my parents, and would I survive this marriage? Sure, he had been nice to me since my parents had died, but I wasn't naive enough to believe that our marriage would be all sunshine and roses from now on. He was a dominant man, used to getting his own way, a criminal, a killer. I was just grateful that he appeared to have a soft side too.

Edward came up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "It's time to go," he whispered. I nodded, allowing him to guide me towards our car. I was thankful for the reprieve from the prying eyes. To be honest, I couldn't wait till this day was over. I couldn't wait to leave New York behind and head home. It felt strange, thinking of Detroit as my home now, but it was all I had. It was the only place I belonged, and it wasn't as if I really belong there either. The only ties I had to the city was my marriage.

As soon as we got in the car, I removed my sunglasses and dabbed tears away from the corner of my eyes. I had done my best not to cry, and I had done better than I thought I would have, but a few stray tears had still managed to escape. I just hoped that my makeup was still presentable as I wouldn't be able to wear sunglasses at the wake as it was in our hotel.

"I'm proud of you," Edward stated, looking over at me. "You've held yourself together well today."

I nodded. "Thank you." It felt good knowing that I had pleased him. "Though I am not sure I would have coped without the Valium. It has really helped."

"Valium?!"

I turned around to look at Edward. He looked confused… he didn't know. _Shit!_ I had just assumed that they had come from him, or at the very least that he had known. I hadn't even thought to ask Rosalie if Edward knew, and she had never said. He didn't look pleased so I thought it was best to try and play it off. I didn't want anyone to get into trouble because of me. "I found some in one of the bathrooms in our suite."

"You're lying," Edward stated.

"I'm not," I protested, perhaps a little too much. "I saw them sitting there and I helped myself to a few. I remembered that my mother used to take them on occasion and I thought they would help me. I didn't want to let you down, Edward. I wanted to be strong for you."

Edward didn't look like he was buying a word I said. "Tell me who gave them to you, Isabella."

I sighed. "No one gave me anything. I honestly don't know why you have to make this into a big deal."

Edward grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Tell me."

I pushed him away from me. "Don't touch me," I hissed.

"Goddamn it, Isabella!" Edward roared, startling me. "Tell me who gave you the fucking pills."

I was beginning to get worried that I was trapped in the back of the car with him, with nowhere to go and he was close to losing his temper. Would he hurt me to find out the truth? I glanced out the window and saw that we were only a few blocks away from the hotel. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I took a deep breath and turned to him. "No one gave me the pills. I took them of my own accord."

"Then whose name was on the bottle?"

I shrugged. "I didn't look."

"Isabella, I don't want you messing with that shit."

"It was a one-time thing. There is no need to get your panties in a twist."

"It had better be."

As soon as the car stopped I jumped out and marched towards the hotel, ignoring Edward's calls. I heard someone running after me, but I never bothered looking around to see who it was. I had half a mind to go upstairs to our suite and miss the wake, but I wouldn't do that to my parents. They deserved better than that. Instead, I marched to the restroom, where I knew he wouldn't follow me. At least I hoped he had the sense not to follow me.

I walked over to the basins and stared at myself in the mirrors behind them. I looked a mess. My eye makeup was all smudged, and I hadn't brought any with me to reapply. I don't why, but the mere sight of me made me cry. I gripped onto the corner of the countertop as I crumbled, my knees going weak as I tried to keep myself upright. I just felt so empty, so broken.

"Isabella?" I jumped at the sound of a male voice. I turned around expecting to see one of Edward's men, but instead, standing there was someone I didn't recognize, although, at the same time, there was something familiar about him.

"Who are you?" I mumbled.

"I'm Jacob Black, Billy is my father," he said, smiling at me.

I instinctively took a step back. I knew it was the wrong thing to do. I didn't want him to know that I was frightened of him, but I was in no condition to fight and I hadn't brought my gun.

"I'm not here to hurt you," he said, holding his hands up, as if to show me that he meant me no harm. "I came here on behalf of my father. He wants me to tell you that he is innocent."

I shook my head as if finally coming to my senses. "Billy doesn't have any children."

"He does, he just chose to keep us secret, to keep us away from the life." I stared at him unsure whether to believe him or not. "He said this wasn't the life he wanted for us and now I can honestly understand why."

"For us?" I questioned.

"My sisters and I."

"Why should I believe a word you say?" I asked. I found it hard to believe that Billy had a secret family, a family that my father never even knew anything about. They had always been so close. It would be impossible to keep something like that secret, if it were true.

"Because you know my father, you grew up with him. You know he wouldn't hurt your parents. He loved them, and you know he would never do anything to hurt either you or Kate."

"Isabella!" Marcus shouted, knocking on the restroom door.

"I better go," Jacob said, walking in the opposite direction. "I'll be in touch soon." He walked out a second door at the other end of the long restroom, mere seconds before Marcus came in the door to my right.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes scanning the restroom.

"I'm fine."

"Who were you talking to?"

I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about," I stated, barging past him and heading towards the elevator. I knew I needed to go back to the suite to freshen myself up.

I also knew I should probably have told him what had happened, but I knew if I told him about Jacob they would all go looking for him. Perhaps they would hurt himand if he was honestly telling the truth, then he didn't deserve that. I would make my mind up about him after our next meeting.

"The boss is looking for you," Marcus said, following me.

"Let him look," I said, pushing the call button for the elevator. I was still royally pissed at the way he had behaved in the car, and I wasn't about to go out my way to appease him. He was a dick and if he wanted to find me, then he could come to me, as I sure as hell wasn't going to him.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** A huge thanks to Cristina, Sherry, Paige & Tiffany, for all your hard work.

 **Chapter 21**

"Who were you talking to!?" Edward roared, as he stormed into our room.

I glanced at him through the vanity mirror and then looked back at my own reflection, continuing to finish touching up my makeup. "I was wondering how long it would take your lapdog to run and tell you _his_ tale."

Edward seemed unamused by my reply. He marched over to me and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me to my feet. "This isn't a game Bella!" he shouted, glaring down at me. "There are people out there who want to kill you. Who the hell were you talking to?"

I tried to pull my arm away from him. I didn't like him manhandling me, and I wanted to create some space between us, but he refused to let me go. "I have no idea what you are talking about," I hissed. "I already told your _dog_ that."

"Stop lying. You are a terrible liar. I already have my men pulling the footage up from the security cameras outside the restroom. I will find out who you were talking to, though I would prefer the information to come from my wife."

"Well, perhaps, your wife would have told you if you weren't such a dick."

"The only reason I am being a dick, as you put it, is because you are making me angry. I am trying to look out for you. Why can't you see that? Why do you need to be so difficult?"

"You!" I roared, poking my finger in his chest, "were the one who picked a fight with me, on the day of my parents' funeral, you insensitive bastard."

"If someone is feeding you pills I have a right to know."

I happened to glance behind him and saw that Rosalie's bag was still sitting on our bed. _Shit!_ I hoped he never saw me looking. I was fearful of what he would do to his sister, especially when his temper was flared. "No one was feeding me anything, and it wasn't as if it was cocaine. It was a prescription drug!"

"Not your prescription though."

"It's not as if it was going to kill me," I said, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"If you need to see a doctor because you need some help, then fine. You tell me, and I'll take you, but don't you dare mess around with that shit," he said, finally letting me go.

"You're overacting."

"I'm not, as your husband and protector, I have a right to know if someone is giving you pills. Now, last chance, Isabella, who gave you the pills and who were you talking to in the bathroom?"

I honestly didn't want to betray Rosalie. She had tried to help me and betraying her confidence could ruin any chances I had of friendship with her. I wasn't even sure what Edward would do to her. I didn't want to tell him about Jacob either. I was scared that he was innocent and Edward would hurt him. "What do you plan to do to them if I tell you?" I asked, knowing that he was possibly going to find out, regardless of my hesitance.

"It depends on what you tell me."

I rolled my eyes. "What kind of answer is that?"

"Isabella, please," Edward said, softly, pinching his nose. "My patience is wearing thin. I am your husband, you should trust me above all others. You should trust me to make the right decisions, for both of us."

"I'm capable of making my own decisions!" I snapped.

"But you are not, haven't you proven that time, and time again? Listen, if we hadn't argued in the car, wouldn't you have come to me and told me about this person?"

I resented his comment. I wasn't incapable, but he was right about one thing. I would have gone to him in a heartbeat if he hadn't pissed me off, and I suppose he was right about another thing too, I should trust him above all others. After-all, he was my husband. I sighed, walking over to the bed and sitting down. Edward followed me, taking a seat beside me.

"You were out of line for picking a fight with me in the car," I stated, playing with the hem of my dress. "I had just said goodbye to my parents and instead of being there for me, you choose to hurt me," I said, my eyes filling with tears. I guess that was what hurt me the most. He had pushed me away, instead of comforting me. When we had gotten in the car there was nothing I wanted more than the comfort of his arms, but I had to go and open my mouth, and ruin it all. I guess I was also angry at myself.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, pulling me onto his lap and holding me against his chest. "I just want to protect you, Isabella, from the world. Why can't you see that?"

"I didn't want to tell you about the pills," I said, looking down at my hands, "Because I didn't want you to ruin any chance I had of forging a friendship with your sister. She was nice to me today, but all that could change if she finds out I told you about the Valium. You have to understand Edward, when she offered it to me, I didn't even question it. I just thought they were from you or you knew. I was barely holding it together today. They really helped me get through today."

"Okay, I'm sorry for reacting the way I did," he sighed, kissing the top of my head, "And I won't say anything to her, as long as you promise me that you won't touch anything like that again, not without your own prescription."

I pulled away so that I could look up at him. "What are you afraid of?" I asked, as I gently touched his face.

"I just got you. I don't want to lose you before I get the chance to truly know you. You've already put yourself at risk more times than I care to count."

I sighed, content with his answer. I laid my head against his chest again. "The man's name was Jacob Black, or at least that is what he said his name was. He said he is the son of Billy and that Billy is innocent. Do you think it's possible?" I asked, pulling away again to look at him.

"At this moment in time, I honestly don't know. Did he say anything else?"

I shook my head. "No, not really, just that Billy had kept his family secret, and that he didn't want to hurt Kate or me."

"Okay."

"You're not going to hurt him, are you, Edward?"

"Please Isabella, just trust in me to do the right thing. Have faith." I nodded, knowing it was something that I needed to work on. Edward leaned forward and placed a soft, gentle kiss on my lips. "Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome." I actually felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I hadn't realized how wrong it had felt to try and keep Jacob from him, when I knew I should have told him. I was glad that we had been able to work out our differences.

Edward helped me to my feet and the two of us walked out into the main living area, where I was surprised to see Garrett and Kate, sitting, waiting with Marcus.

"Is everything okay?" Kate asked, standing up. "I saw you storming to the elevator and came to check on you."

I looked up at Edward, who in turn looked down at me. I smiled as I turned back to face her. "Yeah, everything is fine."

"Good," Kate said, smiling back. "We really should go downstairs and make an appearance." She linked her arm with mine and started walking towards the elevator.

I glanced back to see if Edward was following me. He wasn't, he was standing with Garrett. "Marcus, will go with you. I'll be down in a minute," he reassured me. I nodded.

"So what were you guys fighting about?" Kate asked as we got on the elevator.

I don't know why, but something inside of me told me not to tell her, so I just shrugged. "Oh, you know, just couple stuff."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Big thanks to Tiffany, Paige, Sherry & Cristina.

And to all of you for your wonderful reviews x x

 **Chapter 22**

I opened my eyes to find Edward standing over me. He had a smile on his face, which was not unheard of, but certainly unusual. I wondered what the hell he was doing in my room and why he was waking me at this ungodly hour.

"Happy Thursday," he grinned.

Oh, yeah, that… _my birthday._ I had almost forgotten about it. I guess that was wishful thinking on my part. I had made it perfectly clear to everyone that I didn't want to celebrate it. I had hoped that they would listen, but Edward waking me up at this hour suggested otherwise.

"I already told you that I didn't want to celebrate it," I moaned, rolling away from him and covering my head with a pillow, hoping that he would take the hint and leave me alone, but of course, Edward wasn't going to make things that easy. He grabbed the pillow from me and tossed it to the other side of the room.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm not celebrating anything. I merely came here to wish you a Happy Thursday."

"Yeah, well, now that you've said it, you can leave me alone and let me go back to sleep." I tried pulling the blankets over my head, but Edward had a hold of them and wouldn't let them budge. I glared at him.

"I want you to have breakfast with me."

"I'm not hungry."

"Please," he pouted. I'll admit, he did kinda look cute, but I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to face the world today. It was too soon, everything was still too raw.

"No!" I protested, tugging on the blankets, wishing he would just go away.

"I'm not going anywhere until you agree to come down and have breakfast with me."

"Fine! Wake me up in an hour."

"I want you to come now."

I sighed. "Are you going to be this annoying for the rest of our lives?"

"I'm sure I'll have my moments," he said, extending his hand to me, "as will you. Now, will you please come and join me for breakfast?"

"Fine," I snapped, "but only so you will leave me alone, and then I am going back to bed straight after breakfast."

"As you wish."

I took Edward's hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet. I straightened up my shorts and tank top, making sure I wasn't revealing anything that I shouldn't be, before following him downstairs. I was shocked when I walked into the kitchen. Edward had decorated the entire room in balloons, banners and bunting, all saying, Happy Thursday. He had clearly gone out of his way to give me a special day, but at the same time trying to respect my wishes of not celebrating my birthday. "I didn't realize you liked Thursdays so much?" I stated, as I looked around the room.

Edward seemed relieved by my comment, a big grin filling his face. "My family are _all_ about Thursdays. In fact, it is tradition for us to exchange gifts on a Thursday."

"I'm afraid you've caught me at a disadvantage, I didn't know. So, I never bought you a gift."

"That's okay. You can buy me something next Thursday."

I nodded, tears filling my eyes as I walked over to one of the dining tables. It had been laden with food. It had every kind of breakfast food you could think of.

"I wasn't sure what you would want," Edward said, coming up behind me. "Therefore, I got you a bit of everything."

"You certainly don't do Thursdays half ass," I said, turning to him and smiling. "Thank you," I whispered. For some unknown reason I found myself more than willing to play his game. He had gone to a lot of effort and as long as we didn't use the 'b' word, it felt a little easier.

"You're welcome," he said, pulling out a chair and offering it to me. I sat down and eyed the food around me. I didn't know where to begin. I finally settled on pastries, followed by fresh fruit, orange juice, and a round of coffee. I didn't normally eat so much for breakfast, but it seemed a shame to let it go to waste.

"Had enough?" Edward asked as I sat my mug down.

"Yes, thank you."

"I'd like to give you, your first Thursday gift now, but you are going to need to put something a little warmer on, because it's outside."

"What is it?" I asked, a little excited.

"Go and get dressed, then you will see."

I practically ran upstairs to my room and pulled on a pair of yoga pants, trainers, and a hoodie, coming back down the stairs mere seconds later. "Okay, show me."

My excitement seemed to please Edward. He took my hand in his and led me outside to where a shiny, new silver car was waiting for me on the driveway.

"You bought me a car?" I gasped.

Edward smiled. "I hope you like it."

"As Thursday gifts go, it's a little extravagant, but, yes, I love it, thank you," I said, letting go of his hand and walking over to the car. I ran my hand along the smooth paintwork, looking at the back of the car. It was a Lexus RC 6. I didn't know much about cars, but I knew enough to know that a Lexus cost a small fortune. "Though," I said, smirking up at him, "I have no idea how you are going to top this next Thursday."

Edward laughed. "I enjoy a challenge. Would you like to take it for a test drive?" he asked, waving the key in the air.

"Can I?"

"Sure, but until this threat is over I don't want you driving it alone. Okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled. My excitement diminishing a little, even though I knew he was right. It wasn't safe for me to be out there alone. "By the way, did you, uh, find out more about Jacob Black?" I asked, wondering if he had. We had flown home the night of the funeral, and nothing more had been said about either Jacob or Rosalie giving me the Valium. I was grateful for the later, but I was still curious about Jacob. I knew it wasn't as if Edward would just let it go. I wanted to know what he planned, but I also knew it was unlikely he would share that information with me. Most men didn't discuss their business with their wife.

"It's your birthday, we're not discussing this."

"I thought we weren't celebrating that?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him.

Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Can we please not argue today of all days?"

"I wasn't arguing," I pouted.

"Here," he said, walking over to me and placing the car key in my hand, "let's go for a drive."

I took the key from him and walked around to the driver's side. We both got in at the same time. I took several minutes to fix my seat and mirrors, before starting the engine. I smiled as the car purred to life. I had never had a thing for cars, but this one sounded like a lion roaring and I had to admit that it was awesome.

"The car is fast, so just be careful," Edward said, as I put my foot on the gas and accelerated forward, perhaps a little too fast.

I saluted him. "Careful is my middle name."

"I would also prefer it if you kept both hands on the wheel. You crashed my car the last time, remember?"

I rolled my eyes as I pulled to a stop in front of the gate. I waited for the guard to come out of his guardhouse and open it. "You could always get out if you don't feel comfortable with my driving," I stated, knowing that he wouldn't.

"I didn't say I didn't feel comfortable, I just don't want you to get hurt. It would also be nice if you didn't wreck the car on the first day."

"I'm not going to wreck the car," I said, glaring at him a little, though I know he was only toying with me. Two could play that game. I put my foot to the gas and floored it out of the driveway, the tires screeching as we went. "Hold onto your seat Grandpa," I laughed, though Edward didn't appear to see the funny side.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** A big thanks to my ladies, Paige, Cristina, Sherry & Tiffany!

Thank you to all of you for your wonderful reviews. I am really sorry that I haven't been good at responding to them lately, my muse has been vocal and I have just been trying to write as much as I can. Please know I read and appreciate them all xx

 **Chapter 23**

It had actually been fun driving around the city with Edward. It was the most carefree I had felt in a long time, which was the reason, I found myself not wanting to return home. I knew that if we did the spell would be broken and we would both go back to shouting and arguing.

Edward could be a nice guy, you know, when he wasn't being an asshole. I had a little laugh to myself, knowing he probably felt the same way about me. I knew I was difficult, some may say high maintenance, but that was my father's fault, not mine. I knew if we were ever to have a daughter Edward would probably spoil her too. It was the way things were. Fathers spoiled their daughters, and then their husbands were left to deal with her overindulgent, perpetual behavior. If a woman was lucky enough, she would end up with a husband who would want to spoil her as much as her father had. I didn't think Edward was that man, but one could live in hope, right?

"Oh, what's that over there?" I asked Edward, slowing down the car and pointing across the street to a crowded area where I could see people and stalls.

"That's the Eastern Market. It's a must see in Detroit. I'll have to take you there sometime."

"Sometime?" I said, pouting, knowing that this could be our reason not to return home, at least for a few more hours. "Why can't we go now? We're here anyway."

Edward shook his head. "It's too crowded, too dangerous."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, don't be such a spoilsport. No one in there cares who either of us are. It's part of the charm and if you are really worried why don't you take off your tie, loosen your shirt, and put on some shades. Try a casual look for once in your life. I bet no one even recognizes you."

Edward smirked at me, but never said no. So me being me, I took that as a yes. I drove around for a few minutes until I found a parking space to park the car. When I turned off the engine I looked at Edward, he still looked a little apprehensive. "C'mon," I said, nudging him. "It will be fun. We get to pretend to be normal people for an hour, doing normal things. No arranged marriages, no made men or dead parents… just us. What's the worst that can happen?"

"Famous last words," Edward muttered as we both got out the car. It was only then that I noticed that he had lost the tie and stuck on a pair of sunglasses. It looked like he could take advice after all. I began to walk ahead, but Edward hurried after me, grabbing my hand and pulling me to his side. "If we are going to do this, then you don't leave my side, okay?"

"Okay," I said, smiling up at him, even if I did think he was being a little overdramatic. It wasn't like this was a planned stop. There was no way the Russians could be hidden behind the stalls waiting to take us out, and I knew we weren't followed. Though, I hated to admit, I did like that he was protective of me, just a little.

The market was impressive. It had everything from fresh produce, to fresh flowers, handmade knickknacks, homemade baked goods, burger vans, the lot. "We should do our shopping here," I stated as I looked around in amazement.

"For what?" Edward asked, cocking his eyebrow. "For all the cooking you do?"

"I can cook," I said, mocking offense. "I just choose not to."

Edward laughed, but he never called me out on my lie. We continued to walk around for a little while. When we got to a partially crowded areas he would take my hand and hold it tight as if he was frightened someone was going to try and snatch me away from him. His touch excited me in ways I couldn't explain. I felt like a giddy school girl with butterflies in my belly and a smile on my face, all our troubles long forgotten, for the moment at least.

"Mmmm carrot cake," I said as we stopped in front of a stall filled with homemade baked goods.

"How can you possibly still be hungry?"

"I'm always hungry for carrot cake," I shrugged. It was my favorite, and it was made from vegetables so it had to be good for you, right?

"We'll take a slice of carrot cake," Edward said, motioning to the woman behind the stall. She picked up a plastic tray and used a set of tongs to lift a slice onto the tray with a plastic fork, and then offered them both to me.

"Thank you," I smiled. I wasted no time in putting a large forkful in my mouth, closing my eyes as I savored the taste. "Mmmm, this is delicious," I said to the woman before turning to Edward. "Do you want to try it?" He shook his head, but I already had a forkful in the air, waiting to go in his mouth. So when he refused to take it, I smeared it all over his nose and laughed.

Edward didn't appear to see the funny side. He took off his sunglasses and looked at me shocked. "I can't believe you just did that."

I shrugged. "It's only cake. Here, let me get it off for you," I leaned forward, surprising us both, as I licked it from his nose. I giggled as I stood back, wiping some of the frosting from my lip. I expected Edward to see the funny side of it too, but when I glanced up at him, he was staring at me intently, so intently that I couldn't look away.

He had a hunger in his eyes that I had never seen. He grabbed my waist before I could get a word out, pulling me to him. It caused my cake fall to the ground, but at this moment in time I didn't care about the damn cake. My focus was on him and those soft lips of his; they were practically calling my name. "Edward," I moaned, as our lips met. His mouth was strong and unyielding. He dominated every second of that kiss, making my knees go weak and my head spin.

When we finally pulled apart my face flushed. I had been so caught up in the moment, so caught up in him, that I had forgotten where we were and what we were doing. "Sorry," I mumbled to the woman behind the stall, but she didn't seem to mind, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Young love," she beamed.

"Ah, we're not," I mumbled, not bothering to finish the sentence because I realized that nothing I could say would make sense to her.

"Ah, but you are," she smiled, handing me another container with carrot cake, though this one was closed. "For the happy couple to share, later." Edward went into his trouser pocket, I presume to retrieve his wallet, but the woman shook her head. "It's on the house, Mr. Cullen." So she knew who he was.

"Thank you," we both replied at the same time. I picked up the dropped cake and container from the ground as best as I could, giving it to her to dispose of.

Edward took my hand after that and we strolled through the crowd, not really paying attention to anything around us. We were too caught up with each other. "Are you ready to go home?" he asked, glancing over at me.

I shook my head, swallowing a lump back in my throat. "No, not yet."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** A huge thanks to my ladies, Paige, Sherry, Tiffany & Cristina for all your hard work!

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I also have 25 & 26 written, so I shall see you Tuesday & Wednesday.

As always, thank you for your reviews/favs/follows.

 **Chapter 24**

"Where to now?" Edward asked, as we walked back to the car, his hand firmly linked with mine.

I shrugged. "This is your hometown, isn't it? Why don't you show me where you like to hangout? Where did you like to spend most of your time growing up here?" I asked, curious to find out more about my husband and what makes him tick.

Edward laughed. "I don't think you would enjoy my old hangout."

"Try me," I said, cocking my eyebrow at him. Whatever it was he had to show me couldn't be _that_ bad, could it? Unless, I suppose he spent the majority of his childhood hanging around a strip club, but I highly doubted that was the case. Carlisle didn't seem like the type.

"Okay, you asked for it," Edward said, motioning for me to hand over the car keys.

"My car, remember?" I said playfully, clutching the keys to my chest.

"Do you want it to be a surprise or not?"

"Fine, but go easy on her, she's brand new."

About half an hour later we pulled up outside an abandoned warehouse. It was certainly not what I had been expecting. "Wow, you must have had an exciting childhood," I teased Edward, as he parked the car.

"I did warn you," he replied. I couldn't argue with that, he had warned me. I reached for the car handle, wondering what was so special about this place, that he would hang around here, but Edward caught my arm before I could reach the door. "Wait! Before we go inside I would like to give you another Thursday gift." I turned to face him, a smile spreading across my face. Another gift? Hadn't he given me more than enough already?

Edward reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a small jewelry box. "I hope you like it," he said, as he handed it to me. "All the Cullen women have one. I thought it was only right that my wife had one too."

Inside the box was a white gold necklace, with a 'C' shaped pendant in a calligraphic font. The inside of the C was filled with a line of diamonds, it was beautiful, but what touched me the most was the fact that he had thought of me. He had wanted me to be included. "Thank you," I said, smiling genuinely at him.

"You're welcome. Here, let me help you put it on." I lifted my hair out the way and leaned forward so Edward could fasten the necklace around my neck. I admit being in such a close proximity to him was starting to do things to me. I found myself wishing that he would kiss me, but he didn't. "It looks perfect on you," he said, as he moved back to admire the necklace.

"So," I said, coughing, trying to relieve some of the tension in the air. "Why don't you show me what is so exciting about this warehouse of yours."

"Okay," Edward grinned. He led me over to a side door. The thing was old and rusty, and grunted like hell when he opened it. It certainly didn't sound as if anyone used it anymore. The inside of the warehouse wasn't much better. It was practically empty, apart from rubbish and a few crates that were lying about. I had to admit, I wasn't seeing the appeal of why he hung out here so much, or why he would even think it would be a great place to bring me.

"Wow," I said, for the lack of anything better to say.

Edward laughed. "We weren't all spoiled princesses," he said, grabbing my hand, "Come on." He dragged me over to the far corner where there were some old wooden crates and lots and lots of empty beer bottles. He sat five of them up on the crates and then pulled out his gun. "Target practice," he said, winking at me. "Let's see how good you are with a gun, Principessa."

"Ah, so basically you sat around all day drinking beer and shooting things?" I asked, following him as he moved back.

"Pretty much," Edward said, turning to grin at me. He handed me his gun and motioned for me to shoot the bottles. His presence alone was enough to make me nervous, never mind the fact that I was more than a little out of practice. I took my usual stance, legs apart, shoulders straight. I took aim and let out a deep breath, pulling the trigger. The bullet completely missed the bottle and went straight into the crate. I glared at the bottle, taking another shot quickly, trying to make up for my first mistake. That bullet also missed.

"Who taught you to shoot?" Edward asked, as he came up close behind me, his breath on my ear.

"My father," I mumbled in embarrassment.

"He didn't do a very good job of it," he stated. I opened my mouth to defend my father, but I didn't know what to say. "What's the point in carrying a gun around if you can't use it?" he asked.

"I can use it," I snapped. "You're just making me nervous. Do you need to stand so close?"

Edward ignored my little outburst. "Your legs aren't wide enough," he said kicking them further apart, "and your arms aren't in the right position either," he said, readjusting them with his hands, though he didn't remove his hands when he was finished. "Now take a deep breath, think about the target and when you're ready, I want you to pull the trigger."

I took a deep breath, focusing on the bottle. I fired the gun. The bullet clipped the side of the bottle, smashing it into pieces. "I did it," I said, turning to Edward and smiling.

"You did," he said, cupping my face, "but you need to practice more. Your hold is sloppy and your aim is shit." I frowned at him. He wasn't supposed to be so brutally honest. "I can teach you if you like."

Although his honesty bothered me, I nodded because I did want him to teach me. I wanted to be able to defend myself properly, but not only that, I enjoyed spending time with him. I enjoyed it when we didn't fight every second.

We spent an hour or so at the warehouse shooting bottles before Edward said it was time to get home. I wasn't looking forward to returning home. I was worried that we would slip into old habits, but he seemed fairly excited about the idea, which made me wonder if he had something else planned.

As soon as I entered the house I heard the sound of something whining. I looked at Edward, wondering what was going on, but he gave nothing away. I followed the sound into the kitchen, where I saw Marcus sitting on the floor with the most gorgeous, little puppy I had ever seen.

"You got me a puppy?" I exclaimed, not even waiting for Edward to answer as I ran over to Marcus and snatched the dog from him. He was a mixture of white and a golden brown, it kinda reminded me of a husky. "He's gorgeous," I exclaimed.

"He is actually a she," Edward stated, coming over to my side. "She is to be your guard dog. She'll protect you when I'm not around. Marcus is going to train her for you. I don't want you spoiling her or undermining his training."

"I won't," I said, shaking my head and then placing kisses all over the puppy. She was simply adorable. I even laughed when she licked my face. "What is she, a husky?"

"No, she's an Akita," Edward said, his own face filled with amusement. "They make excellent guard dogs. She'll protect you with her life, but they don't do well with strangers."

"Does she have a name?"

"No, I thought you would like to be the one to name her."

I lifted the dog into the air, so we were face to face, as I stared at her, wondering what to name her. "What about Lucy, or Bailey? Maybe even Angel?" I said, looking at her, but none of those names felt right. "Oh, I know. I'll call you Princess." Yes, Princess sounded like a perfect name.

Edward laughed, but Marcus didn't seem as impressed. "You can't call the dog Princess," he moaned.

"Why not?" I protested. "I think it's appropriate."

Marcus looked at Edward as if looking for backup, but Edward just laughed. "She can call her dog whatever she wants. After-all it is her dog."

"See," I said, smiling at Marcus. I handed him the dog as it started to whine. "I think Princess needs to pee." Marcus walked away mumbling as he carried the dog. "Thank you," I said, turning to Edward. I appreciated him backing me up.

Edward leaned over and placed a kiss on my head. "I think Marcus is going to enjoy walking Princess."

"I think so too," I said, looking outside to see the two of them together.

"When Marcus comes back in I'll send him to pick up dinner for us. I'm afraid I need to have an early night. I have a plane to catch first thing in the morning."

"Oh, where are you going?" I asked, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

"I have a meeting in New York."

"Can I come?" I asked. I didn't relish the idea of being back in New York, but I didn't like the idea of being left alone either. "Perhaps I can visit with some friends?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Edward frowned. "You will be safer here. I'll be as quick as I can. Marcus will stay with you."

"Okay," I sighed, feeling like our bubble had already begun to burst.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Thanks goes to Cristina, Paige, Tiffany & Sherry xx

See you tomorrow xx

 **Chapter 25**

I woke to the sound of my phone ringing the next morning. I grunted as I reached for it on my nightstand, not even bothering to check the caller ID. My eyes were still too heavy to fully open. "Hello," I mumbled.

"Isabella?" Kate questioned. "God, you sound awful. Are you sick or something?"

"No. I was sleeping," I moaned.

"At this time of day?"

I forced my eyes open and glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It was only eleven o'clock. It wasn't that late. "What do you want, Kate?" I groaned.

"That's a charming way to speak to your sister," she bit back. I rolled my eyes. "I was only calling to see where you were. I'm in Detroit. I wanted to come see you, give you a late birthday present."

"I told you I wasn't celebrating."

"Yes, well, you will want this present," she said, unamused by my enthusiasm. "I've been thinking since the funeral, about a lot of things actually, and I believe I owe you an apology. I can see now that Edward isn't any good for you. I shouldn't have stood by our parent's decision. I want to help you escape your marriage, Isabella. I want to help you get away from Edward."

"Huh?" I mumbled, because I could have sworn that my sister just offered to help me run away from Edward. "I don't understand."

"You haven't fallen in love with him, have you?" she asked, almost sounding disgusted by the idea.

"No, of course not. I, uh, just don't understand. I mean, why would you help me? Why the sudden change of heart, and what about Garrett? He would be furious with you if he ever found out."

"Don't worry about Garrett; he wants to help, too. He'll keep Edward busy in New York, while I get you out of Detroit."

"Garrett is at the same meeting as Edward?" I asked, confused. All this was too much to process. I had only just woken up. What was the meeting about? Why were they both there? And why was I always the last to know these things?

"Yes, didn't Edward tell you? Well, of course, he didn't. He doesn't trust you or respect you. See, this is why you need to get away from him. Pack your things, Isabella. I'll be there to get you in about an hour and I promise you that you'll never need to see that man again."

Is this what I wanted? Did I really want to run from Edward? Would I spend my life running, looking over my shoulder, and would he ever give up looking for me? What would happen if he caught me? God, it would destroy the bond we had just built. He would hate me. He may never trust me again, and he may even try to hurt my sister. Plus, Kate was forgetting about one crucial thing, my bodyguard. "What about Marcus?" I asked confused. The entire thing was far too much for me to process when I had only just woken up.

"Don't worry about him. We will take care of him. I'll see you in an hour," she said in a clipped tone, before hanging up.

I stared down at my phone, unsure if I had that conversation with Kate or if I had dreamt it. Why the hell had she suddenly decided that she wanted to help me, and why now and not before when she knew I was unhappy? Why not before I was married and bound to Edward for life? The entire thing didn't make sense and something felt off, very off, but I wasn't sure what.

I needed coffee, a strong coffee, and time to process everything she had said. I headed to my en suite, and splashed my face before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Marcus was sitting at one of the tables when I entered, going over some paperwork. Princess was in a basket, sleeping near his feet. "Morning," I mumbled, as I went over to the coffee pot, fetching myself a cup. Marcus merely grunted in response. I was beginning to understand now that he wasn't being rude, this was just who he was. He was a man of very few words. "Have you spoken to Edward this morning?" I inquired, still trying to work everything out in my head.

"Not since before he left."

"When did he leave?"

"Five."

"Will his meeting be finished by now?"

Marcus arched his eyebrow at me. "What is it with the fifty questions? Is there something wrong?"

I should have realized that Marcus would have noticed all the questions. I didn't normally bother to ask anything. I didn't normally care enough to ask. I simply shrugged as I took a sip of my coffee. Yes, there was something wrong, but I wasn't ready to discuss it with him just yet. "Did he say what his meeting was about?"

"No, I don't ask the boss questions."

"Did he say when he would be back?"

"I didn't ask him that either." I sighed with exasperation. Marcus wasn't much help at all. "Maybe you should call him and ask him _your_ questions yourself."

I suppose I didn't have much choice, since Marcus lacked any of the information that I needed. I didn't usually call Edward, so I knew he would probably guess that something was up. I just hoped I got the information out of him before he figured it out. His cell only rang a few of times before he answered. "Isabella, what a pleasant surprise, is everything okay?"

My eyes glisten with tears at the sound of his voice. He sounded genuinely happy to hear from me, which only made this harder. "I was just wondering how your meeting went," I said, opting not to lie to him and tell him that everything was fine, when it wasn't.

"Good, great, actually, I was planning to discuss it with you when I got home, but since you are on the phone, I'll tell you now. Your father's Consigliere went over your father's last living will. He wants me to take over New York."

"Oh."

"Look, I know how you feel about New York, and the memories are still too raw for you, but this doesn't mean that we will have to move here. Not unless you want, to and even then we can move later down the line. I can manage things from Detroit. You don't have to worry, this won't change anything for you, not unless you want it to."

"What about Garrett?" I asked. "I just always presumed that he would be the one to take over, given that Kate is the oldest."

"So did I," Edward agreed, "but it seems like your father didn't feel he was up to the job. I don't think Garrett is too happy about the decision."

"When was the decision made?" I mumbled.

"What?!"

"The decision, the will, when was it read?" I asked, annoyed that I had to repeat myself when time wasn't exactly on my side.

"About an hour ago, why?"

I heard the sound of a loud bang coming from outside the house. I looked over at Marcus as he looked at me, wondering what was going on. I saw him reach for his gun as I mumbled the words, "Edward, I think I'm in danger."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Thanks to my ladies, Tiffany, Sherry, Cristina & Paige. X x

 **Chapter 26**

" _Edward, I think I'm in danger."_

"What do you mean? What's going on Isabella?" Edward asked, he sounded frantic.

I watched as Marcus made his way into the hall, motioning for me to stay put. "Kate called about twenty minutes ago. She said she was in Detroit, that she had realized you weren't good for me and she wanted to help me get away from you. She called and woke me up. The phone call confused me. I couldn't make sense of it, but now that I've talked to you, it's all starting to fall into place. She said that ' _we'_ were going to take care of Marcus, and that I would never need to see you again. I think she plans to hurt me, Edward."

"Where's Marcus?"

"There was a bang outside. He went to check it out," I said, glancing towards the hallway door, hoping I could see Marcus, but there was no sign of him. I was all alone, with no idea what was going on.

"Where are you?"

"In the kitchen?"

"Do you have your gun on you?"

"No," I said, frustrated, "I'm in my sleep shorts and a t-shirt. I basically just woke up."

"There is a gun taped to the bottom of the sink. Go get it."

"Okay," I said, hurrying over to the sink to find it. I was starting to freak out. I was worried, frightened. I had no idea what was really going on and I still couldn't believe that my sister would want to harm me. "I've got it," I said as Marcus entered the room, his expression giving nothing away. "And Marcus is back."

By this time I could hear more noise coming from outside, Princess had also woken up and was beginning to yelp.

"Good. Let me talk to Marcus." I handed the phone to Marcus, watching him as he talked to Edward. He spoke in a hushed tone, so I had no idea what was being said or what he had found. After a few minutes he hung up my phone and tossed it into the sink. "Come on," he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the patio doors.

"What about Princess?" I asked panicked, looking back at the dog, who now looked as terrified as I felt.

I think Marcus swore under his breath, but he went over to get the dog, picking her up and shoving her into my arms. He then grabbed me again, hurrying me towards the doors. When we got outside, it was freezing. There was a strong, bitter wind blowing, and all I had on was my sleepwear. I didn't even have any shoes, but I got the impression there was no time to stop for shoes. "Where are we going?" I asked, as he led me across the backyard, towards the dock. Princess was wriggling in my arms and yelping, making it hard to hold her and the gun.

"The boat."

"Then where?"

"Then-" Marcus stopped mid-sentence as someone fired a shot. He grabbed onto me harder and yanked me lower to the ground. "Keep down!" he shouted as he dragged me along.

I glanced back as we ran, to see three men in suits chasing after us; all three of them had their guns drawn. "They're going to kill us!" I screamed. Surely,they couldn't be working for my sister? Surely, this had to be some kind of a mistake?

Marcus led me to the dock, where he quickly lifted me into the boat. "Lie down on the floor," he ordered, "and keep your head down."

I did what he said without question, cuddling Princess into my chest, hoping that she would stop wriggling and lie still. Marcus untied the boat and managed to start the engine before the men reached us. I could hear them shooting after us as we sped away. I didn't dare move the entire boat ride.

About twenty minutes later we came to a stop. When Marcus helped me to my feet, I saw Jasper and several men were waiting on a grassy embankment for us. We had arrived at a large, stately looking building, though I had no idea where we were.

Jasper took Princess from my arms and handed her off to one of the men, before taking the gun from me and handing it to another. He then took my hand, gently helping me out of the boat. "Don't worry, you're safe now," he assured me. I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. I had never felt so cold in all my life. Jasper took his suit jacket off and placed it over my shoulders without a word as he and Marcus took their place on either side of me, leading the way to the old building. "I'll take you to my office, you'll be comfortable there. Once you're settled, we will see what we can do about getting you some clothes." I merely nodded, chittering from the cold. "Edward is on his way to the airport. He'll be here in a few hours. He said to tell you not to worry. He's going to take care of everything."

The old building turned out to be a Casino, on Belle Isle no less. I guess that was how Jasper had managed to get to me so quickly before. He took me to his office and introduced me to his wife, Alice. Apparently she had been at the wedding, though I never noticed her. Alice provided me with some of her clothes and a hot shower. I was feeling much better after I had washed and dressed, though I couldn't wait till Edward arrived. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my sister had tried to kill me. There had to be more to the story. Though, I was starting to think that Jacob had been right, perhaps Billy had been setup, not that I wanted to believe my sister was capable of doing such a thing. Did this mean that she had been acting the entire time? Was she the one who was behind our parent's murder?

Alice sat with me the entire time, trying to distract me with idle chitchat. While I appreciated the company, I couldn't focus on one word she said. I was too busy trying to work out everything in my head.

I longed for Edward to be here, I knew I wouldn't feel safe until he was. He arrived a few hours later, calling my name as he walked into the office. "Isabella?" I practically jumped off the couch, knocking Princess off my lap as I raced over to him. I jumped into his arms, holding him tight, as tears streamed down my face. I was so relieved to see him. "It's okay," he assured me, as he stroked my hair. "I've got you, you're safe."

It took me several minutes before I was calm enough to talk. "I don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "Why does Kate want to hurt me?"

Edward sighed, cupping my face. "I'm not sure. I can only assume that she and Garrett planned to take over from your father and that plan backfired when your father stated in his will that he wanted me to take over New York."

"Did you talk to Garrett?"

"No. I sent my men to find him when I was on the phone to you, but he had already disappeared." I didn't like the sound of that. "Don't worry," Edward said, squeezing my chin. "I will take care of him. I will protect you. I won't let them get to you."

I sighed, resting my head against his chest. The one thing I knew for certain was that Edward would protect me, with his life if need be. I just hoped that it didn't come to that.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Thanks to my ladies, Paige, Cristina, Sherry & Tiffany x x

 **Chapter 27**

Edward was taking Princess, and I to stay with his mother and father for a few days. He said we would be safer on their estate; it was better guarded and harder to get into. I wasn't looking forward to staying there, not when I knew that Edward wouldn't be around as much as I liked, but I understood that our house was no longer safe. Not when we didn't know where Kate and Garrett were.

I was still having a hard time trying to wrap my head around the fact that my sister wanted me dead or at the very least wanted to hurt me, all for a slice of power. I didn't get it. If I could I would happily give her New York, but I couldn't. It wasn't mine to give.

"Hey," Edward said, reaching over and cupping my chin as we came to stop in his parents' drive, "everything is going to be okay."

I nodded, glancing up at their oversized house. "How long do you think we will _have_ to stay here?"

Edward shrugged, "Until the issue is resolved."

"Until the issue is resolved!?" I snapped at his choice of words. "What is that supposed to mean? Do you plan to hurt Kate?"

Edward sighed. "Isabella, she tried to kill you."

"You don't know that!" I shouted, getting out of the car. I made a point of slamming the door so that he knew I was displeased. Edward quickly got out of the car after me, hurrying around to my side. "She's my sister," I cried. "You can't kill her." He moved to comfort me, but I slapped his hands away. "Don't touch me," I hissed.

"Isabella, please, I don't want to fight with you."

"You don't know if she had anything to do with those men," I stated. "For all we know Garrett could have set her up or is forcing her in some way." Even as I said the words, I knew I was lying not only to him, but to myself. I knew it was unlikely that Kate hadn't sent those men. After all, she had been the one who had called to check where I was. She had ensured I was in the house before she sent them there, but then, what if she hadn't? Was I being childish clinging on to the hope that my sister was innocent?

"Isabella," Edward said, cupping my face and turning me to face him. "I'm sorry, but you know that it's true. I, myself have had a feeling about them for a while. I wanted to be wrong, for your sake. I should have acted on it. I just didn't want to push you further away. If anything had happened to you, I would have blamed myself."

I looked up at Edward's face and felt like crying. He looked riddled with guilt, which was just wrong. This wasn't his fault. He shouldn't blame himself. I moved forward, closing the space between us and placed my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. He enclosed his arms around me, holding me tight. "None of this is your fault," I whispered. "You didn't know that my father was going to leave you New York or that those men would have shown up when you were gone."

"I should have been prepared."

"I'm alive, I'm okay. Please… I don't want to talk about it any longer," I said, on the verge of tears. "Let's just get Princess settled in her _temporary accommodation_."

~TTTB~

I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of Princess whining and scratching at the bedroom door. Edward had allowed her to stay in our room, as long as I promised not to have her up on the bed. He didn't want me spoiling her, something about her being a guard dog and not a pet. I personally think he was already softening on that idea. He was pretty smitten with her himself.

"Princess, lie down," I groaned. It had taken me hours to fall asleep and I didn't appreciate her waking me up, but she refused to settle down. "What is it?" I asked, sitting up on the bed, like she was actually going to answer me. "Do you need to pee?"

Princess merely whined in response. The last thing I wanted was for her to have an accident in our bedroom. I didn't think either, Edward or his parents would be pleased. I climbed out of bed and picked her up, heading down the stairs.

When I reached the bottom step I heard the sound of raised voices coming from the living room. I knew better than to snoop, but when someone is shouting so loud, it is kinda hard not to overhear. I tiptoed towards the living room, getting close enough to see what was going on and no more. It seemed like most of the family men were in that room. Carlisle was shouting at Edward, he didn't seem pleased. I had no idea what he was going on about until I heard the words consummated. Then, I remembered the conversation I had with Esme early that evening. She was upset when I wouldn't eat any dinner. I told her I felt too sick to eat and then she had joked that perhaps I was pregnant. I had assured her that I wasn't. I was just too worked up from the day's events, and that I was still a virgin. At the time, I hadn't thought anything of it, but now that I heard how mad Carlisle was I realized my mistake.

"-I should have demanded to see the bloody sheets," Carlisle continued. "I would have, had I known you were so incapable of bedding your wife."

Princess decided to whine at that very moment, making everyone aware of our presence. "Edward," I said, in complete shock, as they all turned around to face me. I knew it wasn't a good thing that I had been caught snooping, but I was also too angry to care. Though, I knew better than to voice my opinions in front of all of the men.

"Isabella, go upstairs, go back to bed," Edward said, firmly. He then motioned for Marcus to deal with me before turning his attention back to his father. I was too embarrassed to even look at Carlisle's face.

Marcus came over and started guiding me towards the stairs without a word. "I think Princess needs to pee," I said, pushing against his hands.

"Fine, give her to me and go upstairs to bed," he muttered. He seemed annoyed, but I had no idea if it was with me.

He took Princess from me and watched as I headed up the stairs. He must have been satisfied after I climbed a few because he stopped watching me and headed through to the kitchen. I quickly and quietly turned and headed back down the stairs, hurrying towards the front door. I knew I wouldn't be able to get off the grounds, but at the very least I wanted some fresh air. I was furious that they were discussing me so openly in front of all the men. It was none of their business whether my husband and I had sex or not.

I had barely made it down the front steps when one of the guards approached me. "Mrs. Cullen, where are you going?" I ignored him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to touch me. I kept on marching, heading over the lawn towards the trees, at the side of the estate. I heard him calling after me several times, but I didn't acknowledge him.

Edward arrived a few minutes later. I knew he would. The guards had probably alerted him to my presence the second I had stepped outside. "I thought I told you to go upstairs, to bed, not outside!" he yelled, grabbing my arm.

"I don't care what you told me," I spat, pulling my arm away from him. "I don't take orders from you." My eyes were filled with tears, not of sadness, but anger, but I refused to cry in front of him. I refused to let him see how upset I was.

Edward sighed, his face softening. "It's too dangerous to be outside, Isabella, especially on your own."

"I don't care. I won't stay in that house another second. How dare you discuss me like I am a bloody mare!" I yelled, pushing against his chest as hard as I could.

"It's not like that," Edward said, grabbing my wrists, but the more he tried to control me the harder I fought him. I wanted to hit him, hurt him. I was so embarrassed and disgusted that he and his father thought it was acceptable to discuss me like that, in front of all the other men. "Will you just stop, and listen to me for a second?" he shouted, squeezing my wrists until I stilled.

"On the night of our wedding, the meeting I went to at the reception, I swore an oath to bed you and no other women. The Cullen men, we value our wives, above all else. We don't take goomahs. Our eyes do not wander. That oath should have been sealed on our wedding night, in our marital bed, but you were drunk and I wouldn't take advantage of you. Plus, I knew that you weren't ready. I've been waiting for you to be ready ever since that night," he said, touching my face, "but I knew you were dealing with too much and I wasn't going to pressure you. Somehow, my father found out-"

"That may be my fault," I mumbled. "Your mother was talking about me being pregnant today and assured her I wasn't, that I was still untouched. I didn't think anything of it at the time, my mind was on other things. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Edward said, leaning down and kissing my forehead, "but he does expect us to correct the issue and soon."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Big thanks to Paige, Cristina, Tiffany & Sherry x x

 **Chapter 28**

"C'mon," Edward said, taking his suit jacket off and draping it around my shoulders. "Let's get you inside. You're freezing. You certainly might not be pregnant, but you are going to end up sick at this rate." He scooped me up into his arms and began to carry me towards the house.

I must have been too angry to notice how cold I was before, but now that he mentioned it, I felt frozen. "I wish we didn't have to go back in there," I said, snuggling into his chest, trying to heat myself up.

"I know," Edward said. "I'm sorry you had to witness that and I'm sorry that my father felt the need to discuss it in front of everyone else. He's pissed at me because I lied to him. I told him that we had consummated the marriage. It wasn't something I wanted you to have to worry about, not with everything else you had going on."

"It's okay," I said, reaching up and touching his face. "This whole thing is sorta my fault too, but I didn't appreciate being discussed like a mare. It was embarrassing… humiliating even."

"For you and me both," he sighed. "There is something else I should tell you, he has demanded that he is presented with the sheets… afterwards."

I looked up at Edward screwing up my face. "That is just gross."

"It's tradition. One that we had managed to escape after you ran away the morning after our wedding, but don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. I won't force you to do something before you're ready."

I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but he shot me a look to silence me. We were close to the house now. I guess it wasn't safe to discuss it anymore, not with Carlisle's men around.

He carried me upstairs in silence, sitting me on the edge of our bed once we entered the room. "I'll get a cloth for your feet, they're dirty from the grass," he said, disappearing into the bathroom. I looked down at my feet to see they were all mucky. Edward returned seconds later with a wet wash cloth. He got down on his knees and lifted one of my feet and began to gently clean it. I had to fight back the urge to tell him that I could do it myself. It was strange, letting him take care of something that I was more than capable of doing myself, but I loved the tenderness of his gesture.

When he was finished, he returned to the bathroom and I climbed into bed, watching the door for him, wondering if he planned to consummate the marriage tonight. I'll admit the thought worried me a little, but I didn't want him to get into any more trouble.

He returned a little while later, wearing only a set of sleep pants. I noticed he had a pocket knife in his hand. I wondered what he planned to do with that as he walked over to the bed and pulled the duvet back. I never once thought he was going to hurt me. I wasn't frightened of him. I trusted him, but I was curious. He held his arm over the bed and began to lift the knife towards his arm.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

He motioned for me to be quiet and nodded towards the door. Did that mean that someone was out there, listening? That was wrong, on so many levels. How low was Carlisle willing to stoop?

"What are you doing?" I asked again, this time whispering.

"I won't ask you to do something you are not ready for. This way my father will get what he wants, bloody sheets, without forcing you into anything," he said, quietly.

I shook my head, quickly putting my hand on his before he could slice his arm. "What if he sees your wound and figures out what you have done?" I was worried what he would do to Edward if he lied to him a second time. How far would he go to punish him?

Edward shook his head. "He won't. I will make sure he won't."

I couldn't let him take that risk. There was no telling if Carlisle would check him for wounds or see it by chance. It was not something worth risking. I thought about cutting my own arm, but there was a chance that someone would see that too. No, there was only one way to do this. "It's okay," I assured him. "I'm ready. I want to have sex with you." It wasn't a big deal, right? He was my husband. It was what we were supposed to do, and most of my friends had lost their virginity years ago. A lot of them had done it under the influence of alcohol and had no recollection of what had happened. No, I was doing this the right way. I was giving myself to the man I was married to. The only man I would ever know in my bed and I wasn't under the influence of anything. I would be able to remember this moment for the rest of my life. I would just choose to leave out the part about Carlisle demanding it.

Edward stared at me unsure if I was certain or not. "Isabella, you don't have to," he said, setting the knife down on the bedside table and taking my hands in his.

"I know," I said, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, "But I want to. You're my husband. It's okay." I laughed a little at myself. I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince more, him or me.

Edward smiled at the sound of my laughter. "Only if you are sure."

"I'm certain."

He lay down on his back and grabbed my hips, lifting me on top of him so that I was straddling him. "We'll take this as slow as you want. You hold all the power, you are in control."

I shuddered, nodding my head. My chemise had ridden up exposing my thighs and I could also feel his semi hard cock through the thin material of my panties, which both excited and scared me. It wasn't like I didn't know anything about sex. I knew the dynamics. I had masturbated. I had listened to the stories of my friends and I had watched porn. I had just never put any of it into practice.

Edward as if sensing my unease, hooked one of his hands around the back of my neck and pulled my lips to his. His kiss was soft and gentle; completely letting me set the pace. After a few minutes my nerves managed to settle. I found my body falling into a natural rhythm with his. I slowly rocked my hips back and forth against him creating a delicious friction against my clit. His hands were clamped onto my hips, helping me keep the pace as he rocked with me.

Within minutes I was panting, moaning into his mouth. I wanted more. I wanted to feel his hands all over my body, but I was too nervous, too shy to state what I wanted. I thought about taking my chemise off, but that was a bold move. Was I really ready to expose my body to him for the first time? I mentally chastised myself, telling myself to get a grip. I was going to have sex with him. Taking off the chemise wasn't such a big deal. So I did it. I sat back and grabbed the edges, slowly lifting it off and tossing it onto the floor.

Edward stared at me for a few minutes before sliding his hands up my sides, his thumbs grazing just beneath my breast. "You're so beautiful," he said, breathlessly. "I want to touch you."

"Then touch me," I moaned, eager to feel his strong hands upon me.

His hands slid over my breasts, squeezing and kneading them before he began pinching and twisting my nipples, causing our pace to increase. We were both a panting mess. We both were ready for more. I was ready for more, but I knew he wouldn't do anything unless I asked him to, so I moaned, "Edward, please," hoping it would enough to convey what I wanted.

I didn't need to say anything else. He merely flipped me over so I was now lying on my back and he was hovering between my legs. "Are you sure?" he asked again, his fingers lingering at the top of my panties. I could tell that he wanted to rip them off, but he was doing his best to control himself. He wanted to make sure that this is what I wanted.

"Positive."

He slowly pulled my panties down, his eyes locked with mine, making it all that more intense. When he was finished he tossed them to the floor and lifted my left leg, placing a kiss at my ankle as he made his way up my leg, working towards my core. When he reached his destination, he glanced up at me as if seeking permission. I nodded my head, moving up onto my elbows so I could get a better view of what he was going to do. He used his fingers to spread my lips, exposing me to him before he leaned in and licked up my length several times. I shivered in excitement. "Does that feel good?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Yes," I whimpered. I wanted to grab his hair and hold him down there so that he would continue to do it, but I didn't. Instead, my eyes locked on him, anxiously waiting for his next move. He took his mouth to my clit, his eyes staring into mine as he teased and sucked it, doing his best to work me into a frenzy. Before long I was gripping onto the bed sheets, my hips arching towards him as I felt my orgasm build in the pit of my stomach. He then pushed two fingers into my pussy, which was just enough to send me over the edge. I came hard, riding his face and moaning his name.

Edward looked pretty pleased with himself when I finally came back down from my high. He was kneeling between my legs, smiling at me. "You look really beautiful like that, especially with my name on your lips."

I flushed with embarrassment. Had he been watching me? I had been so caught up in the moment that I hadn't been paying attention to much else, but before I had the chance to get caught up in my embarrassment, Edward leaned down and captured my lips with his. His kiss was hard, needy. "There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Isabella," he panted. "I'm your husband. It's my job to make you feel this good." His hand reached for my oversensitive clit, and everything else but the feelings that he was creating inside me were forgotten about.

"Are you ready?" he asked. I looked down to see he had his dick in his hand, his thick, hard dick. At some point he must have taken his sleep pants off. _Probably when you were wriggling about like a wanton whore,_ I reprimanded myself.

"Yes," I breathed.

Edward rubbed his cock up and down my lips a few times, coating his dick before he lined himself up against my entrance. He looked into my eyes again for reassurance before he slowly began to ease himself in and out. Pushing himself in a little further each time.

When he was almost fully inside me, I gripped onto his shoulders, squeezing them as I waited for the feeling of discomfort to pass. My friend Angela had told me about it after her first time. She said it didn't last. I think she was the only one who could remember her first time. I remembered filing the information away at the time because I knew I would need it one day when I was finally married. I just didn't think I would have been getting married so young.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, concerned, bringing me back from my thoughts. From the look on his face, he was too frightened to move in case he hurt me.

"I'm fine," I assured him, forcing a small smile. I leaned up to kiss him, knowing we both needed the distraction, as the kiss became more heated, more passionate, Edward began to move. Slowly at first, but gradually building up more and more until he was holding onto the headboard for support and grunting. I held onto his shoulders as I tried my best to meet his pace, but the man was like a fucking machine once he got going.

"Isabella, I'm not gonna last much longer," he moaned. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to say to that. He must have guessed that by the look on my face because, he said, "I want you to play with your clit. I want you to come with me." His words alone were almost enough to send me over the edge. I wasn't used to someone talking to me so dirty, but I liked it. I hoped he was going to do it often.

I moved my hand down to my clit and began to rub it in circular motions as I looked into Edward's eyes. His eyes were so heavy, so drunk with lust. Just knowing that I could do that to him, that I could make him feel that way was enough, combined with everything else, to send me over the edge. I came whimpering his name. Edward wasn't far behind me, with a few more sporadic thrusts, he was pulling out and emptying his load onto my stomach.

When he was finished, he rested his head on my chest. We both just lay there panting, neither of us talking or moving for several minutes, before Edward got up and looked at me. "Are you okay?" I nodded, unable to speak. I was still feeling overwhelmed. "Let me go and get a towel so that I can clean you up," he said, getting up off the bed. I watched his bare ass until he disappeared into the bathroom and then I looked down at the sheets. I was relieved to see there was a small stain of blood.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** A huge thank you to all my ladies for getting this back so quickly! Thanks goes to Paige, Cristina, Sherry & Tiffany x x

 **Chapter 29**

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was still lying in bed beside me. He was staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought. The corners of his eyes were creased as if something was troubling him. I wondered if he was thinking about Garrett and Kate, or perhaps his father.

I knew he would be leaving me today, for how long I wasn't sure, but I had an idea, a suggestion, or more like a demand that I wanted to put to him before he left. I knew he wasn't going to like it, but I didn't care. This wasn't something I was willing to compromise on.

"You're awake," he said, turning to face me.

I smiled up at him, wondering how best to approach the subject. Perhaps it would be better to get an idea of his mood first. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," he said, reaching over and gently stroking my cheek. "I was just waiting for you to wake up. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

My heart sunk. It wasn't like I didn't know he was leaving, I just didn't think it would be so soon. We had only just opened our eyes. I thought I would at least be able to spend the morning with him, preferably not arguing. "Where are you going?" I asked, reaching out and touching his bare chest.

"New York," Edward said, as he placed his hand over mine.

"I was thinking, maybe I could come with you."

Edward shook his head, squeezing my hand. "You know you can't."

"Please Edward," I pouted, pulling my hand away from him and sitting up. "You can't leave me here."

"I can and I will," he said, getting out of bed and walking over to the dresser. "This is the safest place for you to be. You _will_ stay here," he stated, as he began looking through the drawers for his clothes.

"I won't," I said defiantly, standing up and stomping my foot.

Edward turned to face me, cocking his eyebrow. "Please, Isabella, I don't have time for one of your temper tantrums."

"I am not having a temper tantrum!" I screamed. "I am your wife, and you will fucking listen to me."

Edward grabbed his clothes and headed towards the bedroom door, but I refused to let him leave. I ran in front of him and shoved myself against the door so he couldn't leave. If he left now, I would be stuck here, and I wasn't willing for that to happen. I wasn't going to stay here a minute longer than I had to.

"Isabella, move!" Edward growled.

"No!"

"Isabella, would you kindly get out of the way of the fucking door."

"No, not until you listen to me. I am your wife, and you will have this conversation with me instead of walking out that door. You said I am the one throwing a tantrum, but you are the one storming out."

"You are not going to New York, end of story."

"Fine, then take me somewhere else," I said, folding my arms.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I refuse to stay here. I will not stay under the same roof as _him_ or your mother."

"Isabella, he is the head of this family, and you will show him respect."

"I don't care!" I shouted. "I am not staying here."

"There is nowhere else for you to go."

"There are plenty of places for me to go. Put me in a hotel."

"You are not staying in a hotel," Edward said, physically moving me out of the way of the door. "You are just being ridiculous now."

"If you walk out the door, you will regret it!" I yelled as he placed his hand on the door handle. "I will do everything within my power to embarrass you and your father. If you thought a black wedding dress was scandalous, just you wait till you see what else I can come up with."

"Isabella, so help me God," Edward sighed, turning to face me. "If you were a man I would strangle you right now." I humphed, glaring at him, but I refused to back down. "You win. Is that what you want to fucking hear!?" he shouted. "Pack your fucking shit." He walked out of the door after that, slamming it as hard as he could.

Although I was relieved not to be staying here, I was upset that I had caused a divide between us. I packed my things, hoping Edward would be in a better mood when he came up to get me, but he didn't come back up. He sent Marcus instead. He also seemed to be sporting the same foul mood as Edward. I wondered if that was also because of me.

"Are you ready?" he asked, looking around the room.

"Yes," I said, motioning towards my suitcases. "Where is Princess?"

"Downstairs."

"What about Edward?"

"Downstairs."

"Do you know where we are going?"

"No."

I never bothered asking him anything after that. I quietly followed him downstairs to the hall where Esme was waiting. She didn't look pleased either. "Isabella, I wish you would reconsider and stay with us," she said, reaching out to touch my arm.

I moved out of her reach. "It's for the best," I mumbled.

"You would be safer here."

"Yeah, well, maybe you should have thought of that before you went gossiping to your husband," I muttered.

"Isabella, that is enough!" Edward snapped from somewhere behind me.

He wasn't supposed to hear that. I was trying not to upset him any more than I already had. I should have known that he would be around somewhere. I looked down at my shoes, biting my lip to stop myself from saying anything else. Edward moved to my side and shoved Princess into my arms without a word.

"Be careful," Esme said, stepping forward and placing a kiss on Edward's cheek. Edward merely grunted in response. "If you change your mind or if you need us, we are only a phone call away," she said, turning to me.

I looked up to notice that Marcus had already left the hall. So I quickly headed towards the open front door, wanting to get out of this hellhole as soon as possible. Marcus was already in the car, so I jumped in the back with Princess. Relief filled me. I was soon going to be out of here, but I couldn't help but wonder if it had been worth it. Was it worth pushing Edward away so that I didn't need to stay here?

Edward got in the car a few minutes later. He was clearly still in a pissy mood with me as he chose to sit in the front with Marcus. I never even bothered to ask where we were going. I thought it was best that I remained silent. Maybe if he didn't hear my voice then he would forget that he was angry with me. One could only hope.

About an hour later we pulled up outside a small bungalow house, on a suburban street. "Where are we?" I asked confused. I had been expecting a hotel or something. I knew he wouldn't take me to New York, but I certainly hadn't been expecting _this_.

"Paradise," Marcus muttered.

I looked to Edward, but he didn't reply. They both got out of the car. Marcus stood by my door until I climbed out with Princess. He walked me to the house, his hand on the small of my back, hurrying me along. When we got the front door, Marcus pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, ushering me inside.

The house was a mess. It wasn't particularly clean, and it wasn't particularly well maintained either. Who the hell lived here and why were we here?

"You'll have to forgive the mess," Marcus said, picking up a few items from one of the sofas so I could at least sit down. "The maid has the day off."

"This is your house?" I asked confused.

"Yep."

"What are we doing here?"

"Hiding," Edward stated, as he dumped my suitcases on the floor and shut the front door.

"You want me to stay at his house?" I scoffed.

Edward sighed. "You were the one who insisted on being difficult, principessa. This was the only other option." I sunk down onto the sofa with Princess in my arms. "You will stay here with Marcus until I return. You will do as you are told, and you will not go outside at any time for any reason. Is that understood?"

Yeah, he was still pissed with me. "How long will you be gone?"

"As long as it takes."

Edward turned to leave. "Aren't you going to say goodbye?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears. I had truly overdone it this time. I had pushed him too far, and now he hated me.

"Goodbye, Isabella," Edward said, before opening the door and walking out.

I jumped up to follow him, knocking Princess off my lap, but Marcus grabbed my arm. "No going outside." I glared at him, trying to shake him off. "He just needs time to cool down," he stated, refusing to let go. "He is fighting a battle on all fronts, the last thing he needed was you pulling this… _shit_."

"I had a right not to want to stay there."

"And he had a right to want you safe. Do you think he needs to be constantly worrying about you while he is out there trying to get done what needs to be done?"

I huffed, slumping back down onto the sofa. I knew Marcus was right. I had fucked up. Big time. I wished I had my cell to contact him and tell him I was sorry, but I didn't even have that. I wasn't sure why, but the thought of him hating me killed me inside.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Thanks to my ladies, Tiffany, Sherry, Paige & Cristina xx

 **Chapter 30**

 **EPOV**

I shouldn't have walked away. I shouldn't have left things the way I had. She just made me so fucking mad. Why couldn't she see that I was trying to protect her and keep her safe? I understood her not wanting to stay with my parents after the way they had acted, in fact, I didn't blame her, but it was the safest place for her to be. No one was asking her to fucking talk to them. She could have stayed in her room the whole fucking time. I wouldn't have cared, at least I would have known she was safe, but now I would be left wondering if she was okay every second of the day. I needed my focus to be on the task at hand, not on her. That was how mistakes were made and lives were lost.

I hadn't told anyone where I was taking her. I figured Marcus' house was one of the last places anyone would look, but there was still a chance that they would look. There was still a chance that they would find her. The idea of any harm coming to her made my blood boil. She didn't make it easy, but I cared for her. I cared for her a lot. I had watched her grow up for years now. I had waited on the sidelines and anticipated the day that she would be mine. When she wasn't busy being a spoiled principessa and she let her guard down, she was actually a good person. She had the potential to be a really good wife. I just had to get rid of her spoiled attitude somehow. Her father had over indulged her too much and now he wasn't here to cleanup his mess.

It was never supposed to be this way, and I couldn't really blame her for acting out, not after everything she had been through. A forced marriage, losing her parents, and finding out her sister was a backstabbing bitch. I just wished that she would learn to trust my judgment, to trust me. I was on her side. The sooner she realized that the easier all our lives would be.

I pulled the car over to the side of the road and slammed my fists against the steering wheel in frustration. I wanted to go back. I wanted to go back and make sure she was okay. I felt guilty as hell for walking out and leaving her like that. It was a dick move and certainly not how I had wanted the morning to go. I had let my anger get the better of me again, but I knew if I went back there now, I would only cave-in out of guilt and let her come with me. I couldn't do that. It wasn't safe for her to come to New York. I wasn't sure how bad things were about to get, but the further she was away from the city, the better.

I gave myself a shake and banged my head against the steering wheel a few times, telling myself to pull it together. I didn't have time for this shit. I had a plane to catch, business to take care of, and a man to find. We weren't any closer to finding Jacob Black. For someone who had grown-up outside of the lifestyle he sure as hell was good at making himself disappear. Jasper, Emmett, and a few of my most trusted men were coming with me to New York to help me look. I had also received word this morning that Garrett had requested a sit-down. Now, I wasn't stupid, I didn't trust that fucker any further than I could throw him. I knew he was up to something, but I was curious to see what he had to say. See, as far as I was concerned, he had nothing to offer. New York was mine. Bella was safe. I held all the chips. So why ask for a sit-down? What was he up to?

I pulled my cell out of my pocket and texted Marcus to see how Isabella was. He texted back several minutes later to say she was crying, and feeling sorry for herself, but she was fine. I warned him never to take his eyes off her, not for a fucking second. His life depended on it.

.

~TTTB~

.

The sit-down happened several days later. We had agreed to meet in neutral territory. I had arranged the sit-down to take place at a local bar before opening hours. I had paid the owner a substantial amount to make himself scarce for a few hours. I had also anticipated damages to his property, so I had given him enough to cover that as well. Like I said, I didn't trust the fucker.

It was of no surprise to me when Garrett showed up with Isabella's bitch of a sister and several Russians. It was my suspicion that he had been the one who put the hit out on Isabella's parents. He may even have been the one who had set Charlie up with the Russians in the first place. Though, I had no evidence to backup my claim. Yet.

Garrett took the seat across from me and pulled out a pack of smokes, sticking one in-between his lips and lighting it. He offered me one before tossing the packet on the table. He looked like such a smooth operator, a completely different man than the one he had portrayed to me before. I couldn't believe that I had allowed us all to be fooled by that scumbag. "Why don't we skip through all the bullshit and get straight down to why we're here?" he said, cocking his eyebrow at me.

"Sounds good to me," I said, eyeing him.

"I want New York, but I guess you've gathered that much by now." I never responded. "Give it to me and I'll ensure that Isabella is left alone. I can tell she means a lot to you, more than some arranged marriage. Refuse me, and I'll put a bullet in her head myself."

"Is that the best you've got?" I asked, stifling a laugh. "And you," I said, turning to Bella's sister, "you're alright with this? You're alright with him putting a bullet in your sister's head."

"Don't talk to her!" Garrett barked, banging his hand on the table, but I ignored him, continuing to stare at Kate, waiting for her to answer.

"New York wasn't hers in the first place," she snapped. "It was supposed to be mine. It was supposed to be ours. You and she had no right to it. The bitch deserves what she gets."

I clenched my fist together to stop myself from launching out of my seat and attacking her right now, but I knew she would get what was coming to her, soon. How the hell had Isabella ended up with such a fucked up family?

Garrett laughed at me, clearly seeing my frustration and I couldn't help it. I snapped. I grabbed his head and bounced it off the table, breaking his nose. Guns were drawn on both sides, and shouting filled the room. This could easily turn into a blood bath, with neither side coming out victorious. I should have known better. I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me, but when it came to Isabella I struggled to keep a lid on my emotions.

"I'll let that one slide," Garrett said, getting up out of his seat and wiping his nose. Kate was at his side in an instant, trying to nurse him, but he pushed her out of the way, almost causing her to fall down. I could be wrong, but to me, it didn't look like he loved her. He was only using her and the stupid cow was too blind to see it. "You have one day, Cullen. One day to make your decision, and then I go after your wife," he said before turning and heading out of the bar.

"You're a dead man walking!" I shouted, getting up from my seat. Jasper put his hand on my shoulder, which was probably just as well, or I would have gone after the fucker. No one threatened my wife and got away with it. No one. "Call Marcus," I ordered Emmett once they were all out of earshot. "Tell him to take Isabella to my parents' house. I don't care if he has to drag her. Just tell him to get her there and get her there now." I wasn't taking any more chances, not where she was concerned, and I didn't care if she was happy about it, or not.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N:** Thanks to Paige, Sherry, Cristina & Tiffany xx

 **Chapter 31**

It had been several days since I had last seen Edward. I hadn't heard from him in all the time that he had been gone, and if he had called, Marcus hadn't told me. Part of me believed that he was still angry with me for forcing his hand, the other part of me was worried that he was hurt… or worse. I was slowly going out of my mind as I paced the floors in Marcus's house with nothing to do other than clean and watch TV. I had never cleaned so much in all my life. It was like my own kind of torture. I wasn't even allowed to take Princess outside for a breath of fresh air. I was becoming claustrophobic.

To top it all off, my period shown up, and I didn't have any of the essentials with me. I suppose with everything that had been going on I hadn't been keeping track of the dates. God, that had been an interesting conversation with Marcus. He had been reluctant to leave me and go to the corner store for my tampons, but like I had told him repeatedly, it was only a ten minute round trip. He eventually went after I insisted that I couldn't wait until someone else got here, and if he didn't go I was going myself. There was no way I was ruining a good pair of Armani panties because of _him_. I think by the time I had started talking about my panties, he'd had enough because he left after that.

He'd only been gone a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. I knew I wasn't supposed to go near the door or the windows, so I ignored it, but whoever was at the door didn't go away. They kept on knocking and knocking. Part of me wondered or rather hoped that it might be Edward. I think that was just wishful thinking on my part. God, I didn't think I would miss him so much, but I did. I would take his anger any day over being stuck another moment in this house.

I tiptoed to my bedroom window, peeking out of the curtains, but I couldn't see the door from this angle. I glanced at Princess, she was still sound asleep on my bed, so I left her there and quietly made my way down the stairs. I tried to stay out of view of the front door as I tried to see who was on the other side. There was a small rectangular window at the top of the door, where I could see the tip of light brown hair. It was too light to be Edward's, so I knew immediately that it wasn't him. I turned to head back upstairs when a voice rang out from the other side. "I know you are in there Isabella. Open the door. I just want to talk."

Warning bells rang off in my head. Whoever it was, he was bad news. Did I have enough time to run back upstairs before he forced his way in here and what the hell would I do once I was back up there anyway? Where had I put my gun? It was in my purse the last time I had seen it, but I hadn't even paid any attention to where I had put that. It had been days since I had needed it and I hadn't given it another thought. I cursed myself for being so lackadaisical. _A knife._ It was the only thing I could think of that I could use to defend myself. I turned towards the kitchen as I heard what sounded like him trying to kick in the front door behind me.

It must have only taken him a few kicks to knock it down because he reached me just as I entered the kitchen. He grabbed my ponytail and yanked my head back, causing me to scream out in pain. "There you are," he said, turning me around to face him. There, in front of me stood the man from the bar at our wedding. The one Edward hadn't been pleased to see. "Where were you going to in such a hurry?"

"Get your hands off me!" I screamed, trying to push him away, but he just laughed, tugging at my hair harder.

"Your sister and brother-in-law have been looking for you. Seems there is a little reward out on your head. Five hundred grand to the person who finds you and brings you to them, but they never stated what kind of condition you should be in. So I figured I would have a little fun with you first," he said, reaching for my breast and squeezing it hard as his other hand grabbed my arm. "Tell me, has Cullen sampled the goods yet, or is he not man enough for the printsessa?" he said, in a forced Russian accent.

"He's more _man_ than you'll ever be," I spat, looking around me for a weapon. I saw a large knife lying amongst the dishes drying on the draining board. I glanced at him to make sure he hadn't seen me looking at it, but he was too caught up in himself to notice.

"I doubt that," he laughed. "Let me show you how big a man I am."

He reached for my zipper and I reached for the knife, grabbing it, and stabbing it into his hand as hard as I could. He let go of me as he screamed in pain, clutching at his hand. I ran for the front door, getting halfway out on the lawn when I realized Princess was still upstairs, sleeping. I couldn't leave her. I couldn't forgive myself if anything were to ever happen to her. She was just a small, defenceless puppy. I cursed myself and turned back, going into the house, and running up the stairs as fast as I could. I knew it was unlikely that I would get out of the house again so easily, but I had to at least try.

Princess was still asleep on the bed. How she could sleep through all that noise was beyond me. I picked her up into my arms and turned to head back out of the room. My attacker was standing in the doorway waiting for me. He was clutching his injured hand against his chest. He had wrapped a dishcloth around it, but blood was still trickling down his arm. He had the knife I had used in his other hand. The expression on his face was murderous. "You are going to pay for that," he warned me.

My first instinct was to protect Princess. If I held her in my arms, he would likely hurt her, but if I put her down there was also a chance that he may hurt her. I looked down to see she was still asleep in my arms, which was strange, especially since I'd picked her up. She should have woken up.

"Your dog won't be waking up any time soon. I had to drug her. I couldn't have her alerting your guard to my presence. I wrapped a piece of meat around some tranquilizers. Of course, I had to place them all over the yard. There was no telling where she would go. I hid them in the long grass so that idiot of a guard wouldn't see them. There is no telling how many she ate. She may not ever wake up."

"You sick bastard," I growled, looking down at Princess. What was wrong with him? She was only a puppy, a baby. How could he do that to a defenseless animal?

The sicko shrugged. "So some say… You know, I used to kill animals when I was a kid," he said, pointing the knife towards me. "There is nothing more satisfying than watching the life draining out of something, knowing that you are the cause, that you had the power to kill them. Of course, as I got older I moved on to people. The thrill is better, people beg for their miserable lives."

I wanted to scream at him, ask him what the fuck was wrong with him. Why the hell was he telling me this shit? I didn't need to know how he got off. I'd rather not know. I looked around for a place to put Princess. There was a chair in the corner of the room. I opted for that. I knew sooner or later he was going to stop talking and move towards me, and I needed both arms to defend myself when he did.

"I couldn't believe my luck when he went out and left you alone. Say, what kind of guard does that?" he laughed, moving closer to me. "When should we expect him back? Do I have time to fuck you now or should I just put you in the trunk of my car?"

I glanced to the foot of the bed and saw my purse lying on the floor. My gun was inside it. He was close and moving closer. Did I have enough time to make it to my purse and pull my gun out? I'd shoot him straight in the fucking head if I did. I dove to the floor, taking my chances. I grabbed my purse, but he jumped on top of me before I had the chance to get back up or even move. His body weight was pinning me to the floor, the only thing I was free to move was my arms. So I hit him with the purse as hard as I could, knocking the knife out of his hand. It skidded across the floor, thankfully out of his reach.

"Fucking bitch!" he roared, getting to his feet and grabbing my hair. He effortlessly yanked my purse out of my hand and tossed it to the other side of the room before throwing me on the bed. He had positioned himself between my legs before I even had the chance to right myself. I tried to crawl away, but that only caused him to grab my leg and pull me back. He twisted my leg to an awkward angle, causing me extreme pain, and used his weight to hold me in place. "I've had enough of this shit," he muttered, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a syringe.

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the syringe. "No, no, no!" I screamed at the top of lungs, struggling against him as hard as I could. I knew I needed to get away from him. If I allowed him to stick me with that it would be game over, but it was of no use. My strength was no challenge for his.

I started crying, I really thought all hope was lost. The last thing I expected was to see Marcus appear behind his shoulder. He knocked the syringe out of my attacker's hand and grabbed him in a choke hold before he even knew what was happening. I scrambled to the other side of the bed as I watched the life drain from my attacker's eyes. I felt none of the excitement that he had previously talked about, only relief, relief that Marcus had gotten here in time.

"Did you kill him?" I asked, as I watched his limp body fall to the floor.

"No. I just knocked him out. I'm sure Edward will want to speak to him," he said moving towards me. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine, you got here in time, but… Princess, he drugged Princess," I said, getting off the bed and rushing to her side. I picked her up into my arms and my heart broke. Would she be okay? Would she ever wake up again? I prayed that she would be alright. I wasn't sure I could cope if she wasn't.

"Our position has been compromised," Marcus said into his cell. "James was here when I returned… Yes, Isabella is okay, but the dog may not be… I'll secure him for collection and take her to the house as ordered."

I didn't even bother asking him who he was talking to when he finished his call. My only thoughts were of Princess and whether she would survive.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** A big thanks to my ladies, Cristina, Paige, Sherry & Tiffany.

Thank you all for your reviews/follows/favs, your support for this story has been outstanding xx

 **Chapter 32**

 **EPOV**

When we returned to my parents' house, the sight before me was heartbreaking. Isabella was on the living room floor crying with Princess' lifeless body was lying in front of her. My mother was at her side, trying her best to comfort Isabella, but she too, was sobbing. I had already been informed on my way here that the dog hadn't made it, not that it made the sight any easier. Both women looked completely devastated. I'll admit, losing the dog did upset me, but I would rather it was the dog than my wife.

There was nothing I wanted more than to go to Isabella and comfort her, but I had something that I had to deal with first. "You," I said, pointing at Marcus and motioning for him to join me in the hall. He knew what was coming, it was written all over his face, but he never said a word as he came out into the hall. He never hit with me with excuses. He knew he had fucked up and he could very well be paying for his mistakes with his life.

Jasper put his hand on my shoulder, probably wanting me to show restraint, but I didn't have any restraint, not when it came to my wife. "You took your fucking eyes off her," I snapped.

"I'm sorry, boss," Marcus said, lowering his head.

"You're sorry," I scoffed. "Sorry doesn't fucking cut it. That could be her in there. She could be the one who's dead or worse. I asked you to do one fucking thing, and you couldn't even do that. Give me one goddamn reason why I shouldn't blow your fucking head off right now!" I yelled, pulling out my gun and pointing it at his head.

"Edward!" Isabella yelled, running out into the hall. Emmett grabbed her around the waist before she could get to me, holding her back. "Get your fucking hands off me!" she shouted, slapping at his hands and stomping on his foot. Emmett reluctantly let go of her. She ran in front of me, putting herself in front of the gun, and between Marcus and me. "It's not his fault," she pleaded. "You can't kill him."

"Isabella," I said, firmly. I was too angry to be around her right now. I had to take care of this before I could comfort her. "Go back in the living room and stay with my mother. I will be there in a moment."

"No," she said, folding her arms and glaring at me. "I won't let you kill him. He is not to blame here. If you want to blame anyone, you can blame me. I am the reason Princess is dead. I am the reason Marcus left me alone. I am the one who caused all of this." She started sobbing uncontrollably. "If only I had listened to you, if only I had stayed here."

I put my gun away and pulled her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. "Shhh baby, it's okay. I've got you." I glared at Marcus over the top of her head, letting him know that this wasn't over. I would deal with him later.

I took Isabella upstairs to our room and helped her get ready for bed. Then, I took one of my mother's sleeping pills from her room and gave it to Isabella. I figured she would need help sleeping tonight, and she could certainly do with the rest. I laid down on the bed beside her and held her. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I should have listened to you. If I had, none of this would have happened."

"I'm sorry, too," I said, kissing the top of her head. "I should have listened to you. We could have worked out a compromise. I just wanted you safe, and I knew you wouldn't be safe in New York. This was the safest place for you to be, but I understand why you didn't want to be here. Not after overhearing that conversation and us giving the sheets to my father. You've already been through so much. You shouldn't have to go through any more. I'll take care of everything, I promise, Isabella. I'll protect you. I swear." I looked down to see her eyes were closed. Her chest was rising and falling slowly. She was asleep. I leaned down and kissed her again, before slipping out from underneath her. I pulled the covers up to her chin and took one last look at her before going downstairs.

Surprisingly, Isabella had calmed me. I no longer wanted to shoot or kick the living daylights out of Marcus. He was lucky that he had her in his corner, but still, a lesson had to be taught. I couldn't appear to be going soft on him. I found him, my father, Jasper, and Emmett in the study. I never said anything as I walked up to Marcus and grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him to his feet. My fist collided with his face several times, busting his nose, before I let him fall back onto his chair. "When I tell you to keep your fucking eyes on her, you keep your fucking eyes on her. I don't care what she says or how she tries to manipulate you. You work for me and you follow my orders, got that?"

"Yes, boss," Marcus said, looking up at me, his hand holding his bloody nose.

I nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Go and get cleaned up." I watched him leave the room before I went over to the bar and poured myself a drink, downing it and then pouring another.

"Jasper and Emmett have been filling me in," my father stated, his eyes studying me.

I nodded, walking over to one of the chairs and taking a seat. "I want him dead. I want them all fucking dead, every single last one of the fuckers."

"There is something else," my father said, pointing to a folder on the table. I picked it up and opened it. It was a police report. "One of my contacts sent it an hour ago." Jacob Black was dead. His body had been pulled out of the East River just a few hours ago.

"Garrett," I sighed.

"More than likely. It seems that he didn't want us to find out whatever Jacob had to say," my father replied.

"I never told Garrett about Jacob approaching Isabella," I said, confused.

"Perhaps Isabella told her sister."

I nodded. It seemed like the most plausible explanation. "I'll ask her in the morning."

"How is she?" my father inquired.

"Heartbroken," I sighed. I still hadn't had the chance to ask her about James, but I hadn't wanted her thinking about that shit before she went to sleep. I would talk to her about that in the morning as well. Though Marcus had assured us all that he hadn't raped her. They had both been fully dressed when he found them. He did say that he had cut it close. James had been ready to inject her with some shit when he got there.

"Your mother and I, we didn't want, nor expect this to play out this way. The marriage had to be consummated for you to have your claim to New York, for it to be recognized in both families' eyes." I nodded, I knew this. "I understand, admire even, your desire to protect your wife by lying. She wasn't supposed to overhear our conversation and it is unfortunate that she did. I hope now after all that has happened, we can all work out our differences and come together as a united family."

I got up and took his hand, placing a kiss on his ring. "I'm sure we will. Isabella just needs time to adjust, after everything she has been through. Keep an eye on her for me, until I return?" I asked, moving towards the door.

"Where are you going?" my father asked.

"To the warehouse to pay James a visit."

My father waved his hands, dismissing the idea. "James can wait. Go to bed. Spend the night with your wife. She needs you, and James isn't going anywhere."

I sighed, knowing that he was probably right. I had just wanted to put an end to all this shit. Find out what James knew and then end his miserable life. I said goodnight to them all and headed upstairs. I took one of my mother's sleeping pills and undressed, climbing into bed with my beautiful wife. I pulled her tight against my chest and wrapped my arm securely around her, before closing my eyes and letting the pill work its magic.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N:** Thanks to Tiffany, Sherry, Cristina & Paige xx

 **Chapter 33**

 **EPOV**

Isabella had a fairly restless sleep, tossing and turning most of the night, even with the aid of a sleeping pill. I was glad that my father had convinced me to go to her last night. She needed me more than that scumbag did. She needed to be reassured that I was there for her, that she was safe. I knew she had grown very fond of the dog in the short period of time that we had her, and she was going to take Princess' loss that much harder, especially after everything that she had been through lately.

"Morning," I said, when she finally woke up, gently tucking a strand of her hair away from her face.

"Morning," she said, groggily. "Did you stay here all night?"

"Not all night. I had business to take care of, but I've been here most of the night."

"Thank you," she said, tucking her head into my shoulder.

"You don't have to thank me," I said, leaning in and placing a kiss on her head. "My place is by your side, Isabella. I just wish I could be here as often as I would like."

"I know," she said, "but I understand that you have other responsibilities, even if I don't act like it sometimes."

I stared down at her surprised. She didn't sound like my beautiful brat this morning. It sounded like she had done a lot of growing up overnight. Maybe yesterday's events had been an eye opener for her. One could only hope, though I would have rather she never had to experience any of it. Speaking of events, we had to talk about what happened. I supposed it would be better to get it over with. "We need to talk about yesterday, Isabella," I said, sitting up a little. Her entire body stiffened. I rubbed her back soothingly. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but I need to know what happened. I need to know what James said."

Isabella sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sighed. "I was being a brat again," she said, looking down at her hands. "I see that now. I got my period and basically demanded that Marcus go to the store and get me some tampons. I refused to cooperate and wait for someone else to go for me, so that he didn't have to leave me. I even threatened to go on my own. I was being difficult, spoiled even. I could have waited. I just didn't want to." She looked up at me, her face filled with remorse. "You didn't hurt Marcus because of me, did you?"

"He should never have left you, Isabella. No matter if you tore the entire house down or cried your eyes out. His orders were to watch you and that is exactly what he should have done."

"Princess is dead because of me," she said, defeated.

I cupped her face and made her look at me. "You didn't make that sick bastard drug her. Sure, you should have stayed here, but… You. Are. Not. To. Blame. For her death. I don't want you blaming yourself. Do you hear me?" She nodded and I pulled her into my arms, holding her for a few minutes until she calmed down enough to talk. "What happened when James showed up?"

"When Marcus left, I was upstairs in my room with Princess, lying on the bed. Someone knocked on the door a few minutes after he left. I ignored it at first, but they kept on knocking and knocking. I tiptoed to my bedroom window to see if I could see anything, but I couldn't. Part of me hoped it was you. I missed you when you were away… I understood why you were angry with me. I could have stayed here, too. It wasn't like I had to talk to your parents. Again, I just didn't want to. If I had my cell, I would have called you."

I was really happy she was opening up to me, letting me in. I finally felt like we were getting somewhere. Now, if we could both keep on top of our tempers, then maybe we could start to be a proper husband and wife.

"I knew I shouldn't have gone downstairs, but I suppose it's a good thing I did or else I would have been trapped up there, and he probably would have had the chance to drug me a lot sooner. Anyway, I snuck down there trying to see who was at the door without actually going near it. I saw the tip of his hair and knew it wasn't you. That's when I turned to go back upstairs. He started shouting, then, saying he knew I was inside. When I didn't answer, he began kicking the door. It didn't take him much force to break the door down and get inside."

"What happened then?" I asked her, urging her to continue.

"I just made it to the kitchen when he broke in. I was going to get a knife, but he got to me first. He grabbed my hair and pulled me back. I immediately recognized he was the guy from our wedding. Why was he at our wedding?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I was more interested in getting him out of there than I was dealing with him at the time, but now, knowing everything I do, I can only assume that he was there to see Garrett. He may have even been the one who got him into the building. Continue, please."

"I tried to get him off me, but he just laughed. He said Garrett and Kate had a price on my head, but they hadn't stated in what condition they wanted me, so he planned to have some fun with me first." I clenched my fists hearing that. The bastard had no intention of giving us a day, and the thought of that scumbag touching my wife made my blood boil. "I, uh, saw a knife sitting on the countertop. James never saw me looking at it. He was too caught-up in himself to notice. I grabbed it and stabbed him in his hand as hard as I could. He let me go and I ran out of the door, but then I remembered about Princess. I know you may not agree with me, but I believe every life matters, even animals. At the time, I didn't know she was drugged, not that it would have stopped me going to save her. I couldn't leave her with that sicko."

I didn't like that she had run back for the dog, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to sound like a heartless bastard.

"By the time I got upstairs to get Princess, James was there with a knife. He told me he had drugged her, and how he had killed animals as a kid. I think he was just trying to scare me. I put Princess down and saw my purse by the foot of the bed. I knew my gun was in it. I made a dive for it, but he dove on top of me. I managed to get the knife out of his hand, that was when he took my purse away and tossed me on the bed, holding me down. When I saw the syringe in his hand, I was so fucking scared, Edward. I thought I was never going to see you again. Marcus made it just in time. If he hadn't I wouldn't be here now."

She started crying again, I pulled her against my chest. "Emmett called Marcus to tell him to take you to my parents' house. I can't begin to express how scared I was when I found out that he wasn't even with you. I thought I had lost you." I moved away to look at her, cupping her face. "I need you to work with me now, Isabella. For your own safety, I need you to stop fighting me at every turn."

"I will, I promise," she sobbed. I hoped she meant it.

"Another thing I need to ask you. Did you ever tell your sister about Jacob Black?"

Isabella shook her head. "No. I didn't tell her. I didn't feel like I should. Why?"

I leaned in and kissed her head. "I was just wondering." I didn't want to worry or scare her any more than she already was. She didn't need to know that Jacob Black was dead, or that there was a possibility we may have a rat in our house.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Big thanks to my ladies, Paige, Sherry, Cristina & Tiffany x x

 **Chapter 34**

 **EPOV**

After our talk, Isabella and I showered and dressed, then headed downstairs for breakfast. Everyone else was already gathered in the dining room eating by the time we arrived. As soon as Isabella saw Marcus her face fell. He had two black eyes and a bruised nose to match. She immediately began to walk towards him, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my side. She couldn't make a fuss over him. She would not only embarrass him, but she'd also undermine my punishment. She glanced at me unsure what I was doing. I gently shook my head and looked at Marcus, hoping she would get the message. She nodded to show she understood and followed me to our seats. She didn't look pleased, but at least she wasn't fighting me.

She was quiet during breakfast and didn't eat much, but I didn't push her to eat, not with everything she had been through lately. She needed a few days to get herself together. I understood that. God, it was surprising with everything she had been through that she wasn't a complete mess by now. It only proved how strong she really was. She was a fighter. A true mafia wife in the making.

"I have to go out for a few hours," I said, once we were both finished. Isabella merely nodded. I caught her chin and tilted her head so she was looking at me. I had to see her eyes. I had to get a glimpse of them so I could figure out what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. "I'll be as quick as I can be. I promise. Marcus is going to come with me this morning, so Emmett will stay with you. Do not go outside without him."

"I won't."

"She'll be fine, Edward," my mother said, reaching over the table and grabbing Isabella's hand. "I'll be with her. I thought Isabella might like it if we buried Princess in the backyard this morning and say goodbye," she said, turning her attention to Isabella. "A few of Edward and Rosalie's pets have been buried there over the years. You don't have to, of course, it is only a suggestion."

"No, I'd like that," Isabella said, smiling a little.

I was glad that my mother was making an effort to put Isabella at ease and make her feel more comfortable. I was sure my mother was sorry for the trouble she had caused, but she was only putting her loyalty to my father first. Just like I would expect Isabella to do the same with me, should the need ever arise.

I leaned in and kissed Isabella's head before getting up from the table, and motioning for Marcus to follow me. Jasper had already texted me to say that he would meet me at the warehouse. He hadn't stayed here last night like the rest of us. "I want to get Isabella, another dog," I stated as we headed out the front door.

"So soon?" Marcus questioned.

I shrugged. There would never be a good time to get another dog. "I want an older one, maybe one that is a year or two years old, certainly one that would be able to protect her." Had Princess been older, James wouldn't have stood a chance. Isabella might not like having a guard with her all the time, but I didn't think she would object to having a dog around. She may not like the idea of another dog. I would have to assure her that I wasn't trying to replace Princess, well, not really. "Just go and find me a goddamn guard dog."

"I thought you wanted me to come with you?" Marcus asked confused.

"You're the one that said he knows his shit when it comes to dogs. Well, I want you to go and find me a fucking dog, one that can protect Isabella, since you seem incapable of doing just that."

Marcus never said another word as he turned and headed to his car. I got in mine, tossing my cell on the empty seat beside me, before pulling out a pair of shades from my pocket and putting them on. I could already feel my blood beginning to boil now that I was away from Isabella. For some reason she was starting to have this soothing, calming effect on me, well, when she wasn't going out of her way to piss me off.

~TTTB~

The neighborhood around the warehouse was abandoned, which was one of the reasons I had chosen to keep James here. No one would hear his screams. Another was there was an old cement factory nearby, which came in handy whenever we needed to make a body disappear, which happened to be quite often. There was always some little fucker who stepped out of line and needed to be put in his place.

"What took you so long?" Jasper asked, pushing himself off the hood of his car, as he flicked the remains of his cigarette to the ground.

I shrugged. "I was as long as I needed to be." Jasper may have been my cousin, but I wasn't explaining myself to him. The only person I answered to was my father and that would change soon enough. "Who's with him?" I asked, motioning for Jasper to pass me a cigarette. I didn't smoke often, usually only when I was drinking, but I felt like I could benefit from its effects before I went inside.

"Alec," Jasper answered, handing me a smoke and his lighter. "He's been with him since he was brought here yesterday. I thought the less people who knew he was here the better."

I nodded, agreeing with his decision. I lit the cigarette and took a few quick drags before leaning against his car and closing my eyes. I smoked the entire cigarette, but I didn't feel any calmer by the time it was finished; which was too bad for James. "Let's get this over with," I said, pushing myself off of his car and heading inside.

James was sitting in the middle of the old packing hall, tied to a chair, and gagged. Alec was sitting across from him with his gun resting on his lap. He looked worn out. "Takeoff," I ordered Alec, motioning my head towards the door. I highly doubted he would be of any use to me anyway, not with the state he was in and it wasn't like we really needed him.

Once Alec was gone, I dragged his chair closer to James before sitting on it. I cracked my neck side to side, trying to alleviate the stiffness as I eyed James. He didn't look worried or concerned. The bastard probably thought he was going to get out of here, that his friend Garrett was gonna come to his rescue, but that was never gonna happen. He would see that soon enough.

I sat there in silence as I watched Jasper setup. James was aware that there was someone else in the room with us, but he couldn't see who. He had tried to turn his head several times to see who was there, but where Jasper was standing was out of his line of sight. I think he was beginning to worry.

"So," I began, when Jasper was finally ready. "This is how it's going to work. I'm gonna ask you questions and you are gonna answer them. For every one you get wrong, my friend here," I said, motioning towards Jasper, who stepped forward into James' sight, "is going to inflict pain upon you. Now, I'm not gonna lie to you and make false promises. You won't be leaving this warehouse, but the choice is yours, whether you want to have a slow and painful death or a quick one."

James never responded. He just stared at me.

"Now, let's begin, I want to know what made you think it was acceptable for you to touch my fucking wife!?" I shouted. James mumbled something that sounded like ' _go fuck yourself'_ through his gag. I motioned for Jasper to make his move. He lifted the sledgehammer he held in his hands up into the air and slammed it down on James' right knee. I heard the bone crunch from where I sat, followed by James' screams of agony.

"Shit," I said, turning to Jasper when James had finally settled down. "We forgot to take his gag off. No wonder he couldn't answer. Let's try that one again."

Jasper removed James' gag. "What made you think it was acceptable for you to touch my wife?" I questioned again.

"Go fuck yourself," James replied, before spitting at me.

I motioned Jasper to take out his other knee. "You're either a masochist or you're not very clever," I said, as he screamed in pain. "Either way, it's only going to get worse from here on out." I got out of my chair, grabbing his face. "I want fucking answers." I put my foot on his crushed knee and applied pressure. "Why are the Russians helping Garrett? Did he set Charlie up?"

James gritted his teeth and tried his best to laugh, but he was in too much pain to put on a show. "You can kill me if you like," he hissed, "but I ain't telling you nothing, you Italian scum. The Russians are coming for you and they are going to kill everything you hold dear, including your little printsessa whore."

James may have refused to talk after endless hours of interrogation, but with one word he had told me more than enough. _Printsessa_ was how the Russians said princess. I had a feeling that he and Garrett were more intertwined with the Russians than any of us knew.

I had always thought James was a freelancer, taking work wherever he could get it, but now I was starting to wonder. Had he been with the Russians all this time?

I wiped my hands and tossed the bloody rag on top of James' dead body, leaving Jasper to deal with the cleanup. I was a mess and would need to shower before I let Isabella see me. When I headed outside, I spotted Marcus sitting in his car, waiting on me. "I found a dog," he said, getting out of the car.

I motioned for him to show me the dog. It certainly wasn't what I had been expecting. I watched in horror as he brought a black fluffball out of the backseat of his car. "What the fuck is that supposed to be?" I snarled. Couldn't he do one thing right?

"This is Bruno," he said, oblivious to my anger.

"I asked you to get a fucking guard dog, not a fucking teddy bear!" I roared.

The dog growled, stepping towards me. Marcus pulled on its chain, holding it back. "It's a Chow. Trust me they make excellent guard dogs."

"Yeah, well it fucking better," I muttered, heading towards my car. I would get showered and changed, and then I would show it to my wife. I hoped she liked it cause I certainly didn't.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** Thanks to my ladies, Paige, Cristina, Sherry & Tiffany xx

 **Chapter 35**

 **EPOV**

Fucking dog. Turned out the thing didn't even like me. It wouldn't even let me hold its leash without growling at me. Marcus assured me that it just needed time to adjust. Chow's were normally a one family kind of dog and he had bought it from its family. I didn't bother to ask him the ins and outs, I didn't need to know. All I knew was if that fucking dog growled once at Isabella it was gone, and Marcus along with it.

"She better like it," I grumbled, eyeing the ball of fur as we walked up the front steps to my parents' house.

"She will," Marcus assured me, but even he didn't look convinced. "She will just need time to adjust to the idea of another dog."

When I opened the front door the sound of laughter filled the air, Isabella's laughter to be precise. Hearing her laughter was great, but I can't deny it surprised me. I had expected to come back and find her upset, especially after burying Princess. I wasn't even sure if she and my mother would manage to get along the entire day without arguing. There had been too many hurt feelings between them, but it would seem that I was wrong.

I followed the sound of my wife's laughter, eager to find out what had her in such a good mood. I found her, my mother, and sister in the living room on the floor with wine glasses in their hands; surrounded by piles and piles of old photographs. There was even one of our old family movies playing on the TV in the background.

"I'm telling you," my mother laughed, "he wouldn't keep his hands off it when he was a kid. So, I finally had enough and told him if he didn't stop touching it, it was going to turn black and fall off. He cried for an entire day, the poor soul. He even kept checking his underwear to see if was still there." Isabella laughed hard. I stood there, trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about, and what was so goddamn funny. "It did the trick, though, Isabella. He stopped playing with his penis after that."

No, fucking way. I looked at Marcus, horrified. Surely, I had misheard my mother. Surely, she wasn't discussing my _penis_ with my wife and sister? But by the look on Marcus' face, she was. He looked like he was struggling not to laugh. I threw him a look, and then, thankfully, the dog barked, alerting the women to our presence.

"Edward," Isabella said, surprised. "We were just looking at your baby pictures." She held up a picture to show me. I must have only been three or four in the picture. I was dressed in a suit. It looked like a wedding or something. I could see people dancing in the background, and there I was, sitting in a chair with both my hand down my pants playing with myself. "I never knew you had an obsession with your penis," she giggled. She was clearly tipsy.

I frowned at her and then glared at my mother. "Really?" I snapped, storming over to Isabella and taking the picture from her hand. I ripped it up and stashed it in my pocket. I would burn it later.

"Edward," my mother protested. "That was one of my favorite pictures."

"I can't believe you have a picture of me playing with my dick," I scoffed.

"Don't be so vulgar," my mother scorned.

Luckily the dog barked again, reminding us that he was there. "Who's this?" Isabella asked, standing up. She was a little unsteady on her feet. I gripped her elbow to stop her from falling over. I wasn't happy that my mother had gotten her drunk, but perhaps I could use it to my advantage. Maybe she would be more welcoming of the dog.

"This is Bruno," I said, motioning towards the dog. "He is your new guard dog." I studied her, waiting for a reaction.

"Edward," she said, shaking her head. "I didn't want another dog, I just buried Princess."

"I know, but I want to keep you safe, now more than ever, and he is a _Thursday_ gift." Okay, so I hadn't realized that it was Thursday until like five seconds ago, but how could she say no to a Thursday gift?

Isabella eyed me before walking over to the dog. If I was honest, I was concerned about how he would react to her, but Marcus still had him on a leash, so I knew he wouldn't let him hurt her and for some reason the dog seemed to be okay with him. Isabella kneeled down in front of the dog and slowly reached out to him, rubbing the top of his head, and surprisingly the fucking dog leaned into her hand. He even nudged her hand when she stopped petting him. "He's like a big bear," she said, turning around to look at me.

"Yeah," I scoffed. "A big teddy bear." Which made me wonder about Marcus. He didn't like the idea of walking a dog called Princess, but he had no qualms about walking a fucking teddy bear.

"I don't like that you got me another dog so soon, not without consulting me," she said, continuing to pet him, "but I would feel bad sending him away. He's clearly not a puppy, he is too big. How old is he?" she asked, turning to look at me again. "Where did he come from?"

"He's a little over two years," Marcus answered for me, thankfully, cause I had no fucking clue. "A friend of mine was looking to rehome him and I mentioned him to Edward, and he thought of you." Now he was just trying to kiss my ass, but I wasn't complaining, not if it helped smooth things over with Isabella.

"Aww, you poor thing," Isabella said, ruffling the fur on either side of his head. "Why would anyone ever want to get rid of you? You look like a big friendly giant."

"He may look friendly, but he is a guard dog. I want you to be careful around him and I don't want you spoiling him either. Marcus will help you care for him."

"He'll never replace Princess," she stated.

"I know that. I'm not trying to replace her."

"Good," she replied. "Then he can stay with us." _Like she had any fucking choice in the matter._ "I'm going to take him outside to see if he needs to potty," she said, taking the leash from Marcus. I motioned for him to go with her.

"That was nice of you," my mother said, coming up behind me and placing a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged. "I just want her to be safe."

My mother smiled. "Oh, I think it's beyond that point, Edward." I looked at her confused. "Your feelings for her are growing," she stated. "You make a good couple, when you are not bumping heads. You are both headstrong, but you are learning to work together. She's good for you. I like the man she is making you become."

I shook my head. "I have no idea what you are talking about." My mother knew well enough that I didn't like discussing feelings and shit.

"My brother is in love," Rosalie whispered, leaning into my ear, before heading out of the room laughing.

Was I? Was I in love with Isabella? I cared for her, a lot. I wanted to keep her safe, more than anything, but I wasn't sure that I was in love with her. I had never done the feelings thing, but she sure did take up a lot of my time and thoughts.

"Don't over think it," my mother said, staring at me. "Just go along with it and let your feelings grow naturally."

I shook my head. I wasn't about to stand here and discuss my feelings with her like a woman. I was going to find my father and report to him the day's events, while having a stiff drink. I didn't have time for this sissy shit.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N:** Thanks to Paige, Sherry, Tiffany & Cristina x x

 **Chapter 36**

 **BPOV**

"Does it hurt?" I asked Marcus, looking up at his sore face. I knew Edward had more or less insinuated that I shouldn't say anything to him, but I still felt bad about it. He had gotten that sore face because of me, because I was too stubborn for my own good sometimes. We were alone in the backyard; surely it wouldn't hurt to apologize to him when no one else could hear us.

Marcus shrugged, shoving his hands in pockets. "It's not so bad."

"I'm sorry for making Edward hurt you. I know I must be a real pain in your ass at times. I'll try to not be as difficult from now on," I said, smiling softly, hoping that he would accept my apology.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I got this," Marcus said, pointing at his face, "because I didn't do my job. This serves as a reminder to do it better next time."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, but I didn't get the chance to anyway. Bruno must have seen something that grabbed his attention, because he pulled the leash, yanking me forward. I would have landed on my face if Marcus hadn't caught me. "Are you all right?" he asked concerned, standing me up, and not letting me go until he was certain that I had regained my balance.

"Yes, fine, thank you," I said, fixing myself. I looked up to see that Bruno was racing towards the trees that lined the backyard. When he had yanked me forward, he had pulled the leash straight out my hand. "We should go after him," I said, worried. I didn't want to lose him within an hour of having him. appreciated Edward thought about me, wanting to protect me, more than words could say, but my actions wouldn't show that if I lost the dog.

"I'll go get him. You go back into the house," Marcus said firmly.

Although, I didn't like his tone or the fact that he wouldn't let me go with him, I nodded my head and walked back towards the house. After-all, I had just promised him that I would try to be less difficult and it probably wasn't a good idea for me to go walking around in the dark anyway, now that I thought about it. Marcus watched me until I opened the patio door and went inside, which I thought was a little excessive. Didn't he trust me? Probably not and with good cause I suppose.

I heard Esme and Rosalie talking once I was inside. I followed the sound of their voices to the kitchen. It looked like the wine drinking had proceeded from the living room to the kitchen. That might have been because they were hungry as Esme now had a selection of food out on display on the kitchen island. Come to think of it, I was feeling pretty hungry myself, but I wanted to know where Edward was first.

"He's with his father," Esme said, as if she could read my mind.

"Oh, is he annoyed?" I asked. He didn't look pleased when he had found us giggling over his baby pictures. It had just been harmless fun, but he didn't seem to see it that way. He had taken it as an insult against his manhood, which no one was questioning.

Esme shook her head. "Not as much as he pretends to be. I'm sure he has forgotten all about it by now. Would you like another glass of wine? Are you hungry?" she asked, going into the wine cooler and pulling out another bottle of wine.

I already felt tipsy, probably tipsier than I should be, but I was having fun. I had never gotten to really do anything like this with my own mother and sister. Plus Edward hadn't actually said anything about my drinking, so it must not have bothered him. "Sure," I said, taking the stool beside Rosalie and helping myself to some chips.

"You should try the garlic dip," Rosalie said, motioning towards one of the dishes. "Mom makes it herself. It's orgasmic."

Esme sat a glass of wine down in front of me and I lifted it to take a drink, but I didn't even manage to get a sip before the sound of gunfire filled the air. Three shots to be precise. I set the glass down and looked at Rosalie and Esme. The same fear and worry, reflected in all three of our eyes.

Esme headed in the direction of the hall, Rosalie and I quickly followed after her.

"Where's Isabella!?" I heard Edward shouting. He, his father, and Emmett made it into the hall at the same time we did. They all had their guns drawn. Their expressions told me that they were on high alert.

"I'm here," I said, running over to him and placing my hand on his chest. I looked up to him, hoping he would know what was going on, hoping that he would tell me that everything was going to be alright.

"Where's Marcus?" he asked, cupping my cheek. His face filled with relief.

"In the backyard," I said, wondering if he was in danger. "Bruno ran away. Marcus sent me inside before he went to find him."

Edward glanced at his father, then Emmett as if having some sort of silent conversation, before he turned back to me and kissed the top of my head. "Stay with my father, Isabella," he ordered. I grabbed onto his shirt before he could walk away. I didn't like the thought of him going outside, not when I knew there was danger out there. I'm not saying that I didn't think he could handle himself. I knew he could. I just wanted to keep him safe. "I'll be fine," he said, grabbing my hand. He gave it a squeeze before removing it from his shirt. Then he and Emmett headed towards the patio doors.

"Come, Isabella," Carlisle said, putting his hand on my arm and pulling me towards his office. He ushered Esme, Rosalie, and myself inside and locked the door. He went over to his desk and pushed a button, making steel shutters lower over the windows. "We'll be safe in here," he said, turning to me. We might be safe, but what about Edward, Marcus, Emmett, and Bruno? Were they safe?

"He'll be fine," Esme said coming over to me and clasping a hand on my shoulders. She guided me towards the sofa at the far end of the room and made me sit down beside her. She held me the entire time we waited in that room. I can't say I wasn't grateful. If it hadn't been for her touch I may have fallen apart. I was so worried about Edward. I couldn't stand the thought of any harm coming to him.

About an hour later there was a knock at the door, followed by the sound of Edward's voice. "It's me. The house is secure." Carlisle, the ever careful man pulled up the security feed on his computer to ensure that Edward was indeed alone, and the area was secure before pushing the button on his desk again. The shutters started to rise. The door clicked open once the shutters were fully up.

Edward came rushing inside, his eyes scanning the room for me. I jumped out of my seat and ran to him, throwing myself into his arms. He kissed the top of my head and held me tight. No one spoke until he let me go. "Bruno and Marcus caught an intruder in the woods. It seems he was testing our defenses," Edward reported to his father.

"Where is he now?" Carlisle asked.

"Dead, but he wore the brand of the Russian's. I think it's safe to assume that they sent him."

"We'll double the security," Carlisle responded. "I'm putting the house on lockdown. No one comes or goes without my authorization."

Edward nodded.

"Where's Bruno?" I asked worried.

"He's outside with Marcus. They are doing another sweep of the grounds just to be safe. Without Bruno we wouldn't have known about the intruder for another hour. He had taken out one of our men guarding that area and the guards weren't due to report back in for another hour. The attack was perfectly timed. It seems Bruno is already working to protect you."

"It would seem so," I agreed.

"You two should get some rest," Carlisle ordered. "I'll handle things from here."

I was happy Edward didn't protest. I wanted him with me. I felt safer when he was around.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:** Thanks goes to my ladies Paige, Tiffany, Sherry & Cristina.

This is a short update. I've been over tired lately, but I wanted to get something out there for you. Sorry I have fallen behind on replies to reviews. I will catch up ASAP, just know that I read and treasure every one of them x x

 **Chapter 37**

 **BPOV**

Both of us remained silent as we made our way upstairs. I think we were both just playing over recent events and the possibilities of what could have happened. I was so grateful that none of us had been hurt, but how long would it stay that way? Sooner and later someone was going to get hurt. It was only a matter of time. I prayed that _someone_ wasn't Edward. I wasn't sure what I would do without him. For a while now he had been the glue that had been holding me together. Sure, he pissed me off a lot of the time and drove me crazy, but I had come to realize it was one of the things I liked about him. He didn't treat me like some delicate flower. He didn't care about upsetting me and saying no. He wasn't willing to hand everything to me on a silver platter, which was something I had become accustomed to in my former life. He challenged me and made life interesting. He made my life interesting.

When we entered our bedroom, the air seemed to change. It became electrified all of a sudden, like both our worries and fears were out there in the open for the other to see. Edward turned to face me as I closed the door. His eyes were hooded, yet they held this fierce, intense gaze. "Isabella, I need you. I want you." His words went straight to my core, making my legs quake. I loved hearing, knowing, that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I let out an involuntarily groan as he stalked towards me.

"Take me," I moaned, gripping onto his shirt and pulling him closer. I was his for the taking.

"You don't understand," he said, cupping my face and staring deep into my eyes. "I can't promise to be gentle."

"I don't want you to be gentle," I said, my own words taking me by surprise. I wanted him to claim me. I wanted him to make me his, but most of all, I wanted him to fuck me so hard that I forgot all about the threat of danger and the long line of people who wanted me dead. I just wanted to live for the moment, for him.

Edward gripped my hair and pulled my face to his. His lips attacked mine with such ferocity that I knew they were going to be sore in the morning, but for now I didn't care. I kissed him back equally as hard, wanting to prove to him that I was up for the challenge. He grabbed my right leg and hooked it around his waist, before grasping the other. I wrapped them both around him tightly as he pushed me against the door, almost knocking the wind out of me. He wasn't lying when he said he couldn't promise to be gentle. Not that I was complaining. All my friends had bragged about their sex lives and how great it was. I thought it was about time I experienced some of that. Our first time had been good, but I knew he had been holding back, trying his best to be gentle with me. I wanted to see the darker side of him now. I wanted to see the ruthless man I knew he could be, the badboy. I wanted him to just let everything go and fuck me.

He wasted no time in removing my clothes, well, the ones he could remove anyway. My t-shirt was the first to go, quickly followed by my bra. "You have such beautiful boobs, Isabella" he said, as he began kneading them, his thumbs grazing over my nipples. "I could spend all day playing with them." I groaned, bucking towards him. It caused such a wonderful friction. So much so that I couldn't help but do it again and again, helping to work myself into a frenzy.

I helped discard his suit jacket, followed by his tie and shirt, but it wasn't enough. Although I enjoyed the feel of his flesh, his perfectly chiseled chest beneath my hands, I needed more. "Edward, let's move to the bed, please," I moaned. I wanted to get him naked. I wanted to get us both naked so there were no more barriers between us.

Edward shook his head. "I want to fuck you here. I want the entire house to hear me fuck you. Hard." I knew his words should have shocked me, that they should have made me demand he take me to the bed, but I didn't. Part of me thought if his mother and father heard us fucking, then it was what they deserved. It was what they wanted after all. Okay, so maybe that was the wine talking and I hadn't fully thought it through, but at that moment Edward sunk his teeth into my neck and I forgot all about where we should and shouldn't fuck. All I was interested in was getting him inside of me, and soon.

I didn't even complain when he grabbed my leggings and ripped them right down the seam. I actually agreed with him that they had been in the way. My panties quickly followed the same fate. When he slid his fingers inside me I felt like I had just been granted access to heaven, and I never wanted to leave. I could have come right then and there, but he removed his hand as if reading my mind. "When you come, baby, I want to be inside you. I want to feel every clench, every quiver as I look into your eyes, knowing I am the one who caused you to fall apart." I stared at him, at a loss for words.

I wasn't sure how, but somehow in our entangled position, he had managed to unbuckle his pants and free his cock. He ran the head up and down my entrance a few times, coating it, before he thrust deep inside me. I called out in surprise as he slammed me against the door. "I told you I couldn't promise to be gentle," he grunted.

"I'm not complaining," I groaned, gripping onto his arms as he pounded the hell out of me.

It wasn't long until I felt my first orgasm take hold. It came right from the tip of my toes and traveled all the way up my body, making me shake. He made me come another two times after that. He had fucked me so hard, he had me mumbling incoherently. It wasn't until I started to come down from my high that I realized what I was saying. I was mumbling the words, 'I love you. I love you' over and over again, like some sort of chant. My face flushed as I looked down at the floor. I couldn't believe I had said that shit.

Edward lowered my legs to the floor, which didn't quite feel like my own. He used his hips to pin me into place as his hands cupped my face and forced me to look up at him. "Don't be embarrassed," he said, grazing his thumb over my swollen lips. "I… I love you, too." I could tell that the words were a struggle for him to say and I wasn't even sure if he even meant them or if he was trying to save me from embarrassment, but all the same I leaned my head into his chest and closed my eyes. I would take them. I would accept them as the truth. He loved me, and I loved him.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** Thanks to Cristina, Paige, Sherry & Tiffany.

Thanks for all the reviews. Hopefully I have got up on replies to most of them now. I still have a few to send out tho.

Bad news is TTTB is coming to an end soon. Good news is there will be another story in the series to see how they settle into life in New York.

 _Tied to New York – coming soon._

 **Chapter 38**

Edward and I had been going at it like rabbits ever since that night. We couldn't keep our hands off each other. Every chance we got we were fucking, and I was loving every second of it. I couldn't get enough of him, or the way he made me feel. I felt like we had grown closer because of it, like we now had this deep, rooted connection. I had even forgotten all about the danger and threat to my life, well, that was until Emmett knocked on Edward's temporary office door announcing that they had found Kate.

We had been in the middle of fucking when Emmett made his announcement. I think it was safe to say that neither of us was finishing now. Edward sighed, leaning his head against mine as I looked down at the desk I was currently sitting on. I wasn't sure how I felt about this. I knew Edward's plan was to kill my sister, but what if she had been used as a pawn in Garrett's scheme, what if she hadn't really known what she was doing? She was still my sister. The only flesh and blood I had left. Did I really want her dead?

"Isabella, look at me," Edward demanded, pulling away and cupping my face. I silently looked up at him, my eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Talk to me baby," he begged. He took a step back, tucking his half limp cock back in his trousers and straightening out my dress so it was now no longer riding up my thighs. "What is going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

I shrugged, wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't know, I, uh… guess she's still my sister."

"Look," Edward said, taking a step back and running his hand through his hair, "there is something I didn't tell you. When I was in New York, I met with your sister and Garrett. I saw her and let me tell you, she is far from the innocent victim you would like to think she is. She doesn't deserve your pity or sorrow. The only thing she deserves is a slow and painful death."

"Wait. What?" I asked, jumping off the desk and walking over to him. "You saw my sister and you never told me? What else have you been keeping from me?"

"Nothing," Edward said, shaking his head.

I scoffed, not believing for a single second that he wasn't keeping anything else from me. "What do you mean she is far from innocent? What did she say? Why did you meet them and why didn't you tell me before now?" Edward gave me a knowing look as if I should know better than to ask him about his business. I rolled my eyes, I was beyond the point of caring about tradition and what was expected of me. I wouldn't be left in the dark anymore, I wanted to know what was going on and I wasn't going to let it drop until he told me.

Edward sighed as if reading my mind. "Garrett called a sit-down. What was said is not important, but I saw your sister with my own eyes. No one was in control of her or forcing her to say anything. She spoke about you with venom in her voice. She doesn't care for your life, nor should you care for hers."

"I want to talk to her," I demanded. I couldn't believe what he was saying, that my own sister could just turn on me. What about all the years we had grown up together? Bonded? Did they mean nothing to her? Did I really mean nothing to her?

"No way," Edward said, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. I won't put you in harm's way."

"Edward," I said softly, grabbing his shirt and looking up at him, hoping he would understand. "I need to talk to her. I need closure. I need to understand what is going on in her head. Why she did the things that she did, and if she had anything to do with my parent's death. I know it's dangerous, but I also know that you will do everything in your power to protect me. Please, I beg you, look at this from my point of view, and understand where I am coming from. I need to talk to my sister. I don't just want to. I need to."

Edward shook his head. "I don't like it."

I tilted his face until he was looking me in the eyes. "I'm not asking you to like it. I'm only asking you to give me the opportunity."

"Fine," he said. "Go upstairs and get changed and I'll talk to my father, but I'm warning you, if we do this, we do this my way. You follow my orders. You listen to me, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, or so help me God, I will put you over my knee and spank your ass so hard you won't ever be able to sit down again. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," I said, leaning up and placing a kiss on his lips. "Thank you." I loved that he was willing to compromise with me, even if he didn't like the idea. Not that I was against the idea of a spanking. I moaned involuntarily at the thought. Edward cocked his eyebrow at me. "I'll be right back," I said, not giving anything away. I knew if I told him what was going on in my mind, then neither of us would be leaving this office for at least another half hour, and sex wasn't something I needed to focus on right now. Right now, I had to figure out what I planned to say to Kate. What I wanted to ask her and how I would cope with the answers she gave me.

I changed into a pair of jeans, a plain t-shirt and a pair of converse. I wasn't really sure what you wore to an impromptu visit with your sister. I imagined her new living arrangements wouldn't be the finest either. I may have also snuck my gun into the waistband at the back of my jeans and hid it under my t-shirt; in case, you know, I felt the urge to take her life. I wasn't sure Edward would be down for that idea, so I thought it would be best if I brought my own gun.

When I went back downstairs, Edward and Carlisle were talking in the hallway. Carlisle didn't look overly happy. I presumed he didn't approve of me going to speak to my sister. I knew he had said the house was on lockdown, no one left or entered without his permission, but I was hoping he would make the exception for this. It was kinda important, to me at least.

"Edward tells me you want to go with him," Carlisle said, once I joined them.

"Yes," I said, glancing up at Edward, wondering what had been said, but his face gave nothing away.

"Don't you think it would be better if you stayed here, with your family, where it is safe?" Carlisle questioned.

I shook my head. "I understand it's risky, but this is something that I need to do, for my own peace of mind. Edward and his men are more than capable of keeping me safe."

"I told you," Edward sighed, "her mind is made up. There is no changing it once she has set her mind to something. I'd rather she come with me, where I can keep an eye on her, than have her try something stupid and run-off on her own." I glared at him. I wouldn't try anything like that. I had learned my lesson, but my anger was short-lived. Edward had placed his hand on my lower back and I cringed, knowing he had felt the gun. He lifted my t-shirt up and pulled the gun from my waist, holding it out in front of me. "More than capable?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Think of it as a precaution."

Edward handed the gun off to his father. "I've seen you shoot. I think it would be safer for all of us if you remained unarmed for this trip."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't nearly as bad as he was making me out to be.

"Isabella," Carlisle said, firmly, "If I allow you to go with Edward, I want you to give me your word that you will follow his orders, that you won't make things difficult for him and his men. Kate is being kept in New York, so you will be two hours away from our protection. Garrett is still at large, which means New York is still very much unsafe for you."

"I promise not to make things difficult for Edward or his men," I said, glancing up at Edward. "I merely wish to speak to my sister while I still have the chance."

Carlisle nodded. "Okay, you may go then."


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:** Big thanks to my ladies Tiffany, Paige, Cristina & Sherry.

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews, here goes xx

 **Chapter 39**

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" Edward said, putting himself between me and the room that held my sister. His eyes were begging me to change my mind. He had spent the entire flight trying to convince me not to go through with it. "Once you go in there… some things can't be unseen or unheard."

"I know that," I said, putting my hand on his chest. "I've got this, Edward. I can do it. I'm not a fragile little mouse."

"I know you're not," he said, cupping my face, his thumb gently brushing over my cheek. "After everything you have been through, you are still standing, still fighting. You are one of the strongest women I know. I just don't want to tip the scales. What if this is too much, ya know? I don't want to lose my beautiful, feisty, little brat. I've kinda become attached to her."

I leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Believe me, she isn't going anywhere."

"I hope not," he sighed. He looked at me for several more minutes as if sizing me up, looking for any sign of weakness so he could call the whole thing off. When he finally realized that I had this, he stepped aside, allowing me into the room.

Kate was being held in the cellar of one of my father's bars. When I entered the room I was hit with such a stench that led me to believe she wasn't the first person to be held here. Kate was sitting in the middle of the room, tied to a chair, with a blindfold over her eyes. I was surprised to see Liam, one of my father's men guarding her, but then I guess he wasn't my father's man now, he was Edward's.

I said nothing as I walked over to Kate and yanked the blindfold from her face. She blinked for several minutes, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light, before they turned to me. "Isabella," she spat, "how nice of you to come and visit your sister."

Her venom caught me off guard a little. I mean, I knew she had played her part in all of this, I wasn't stupid, but to actually see and hear the hate she held for me was another thing entirely. I glanced over at Edward, he had followed me into the cellar and closed the door behind us. He was watching me intensely. I knew he was waiting for an excuse to drag me out of here, but I couldn't give him one. I had to remain strong. No matter how much her words hurt or shocked me, I would remain strong. I wouldn't show any sign of weakness.

"I thought it was only fitting that I came to see you before you die," I said, folding my arms. "After-all, you are my last living relative." Kate glared at me, but never said anything. "Tell me, why did you do it? Why did you sell out your family?"

"You might have been related to me through blood, but you were never my family," Kate snarled. "I was never good enough for _them,_ or you. I never measured up next to their perfect, little Isabella." I bit my tongue from screaming at her. She was lying. My parents never treated us differently, they loved us equally. She was blind if she couldn't see that, or rather, Garrett had blinded her. "I was the firstborn. New York should have been mine. It was supposed to be mine, but no, you even tried to take that away from me."

"When I overheard father and Billy talking about Edward and how he was better suited to take over New York when you were eventually married, I got angry. That right belonged to me. Garrett and I had made plans for when father stepped down, but no, you had to go and ruin it. Just like everything else. You are nothing but a poisonous, little whore."

Edward made a move toward her, but I held my hand up to stop him. I knew she was pissing him off, she was pissing me off too, but she was talking and I didn't want her to stop. I had to know everything.

"When I told Garrett about what I had overheard, he was furious with me. He blamed me. That was the first time he had ever hit me," she hissed. "He was supposed to love me, but he hit me because of _you_. I knew then I had to make it up to him after that. I had to get him to love me again. That was when I suggested destroying our father. We thought if he got him in too deep with Garrett's family he would have to hand his seat over to someone more capable."

"Garrett's family?" I asked, confused.

Kate laughed. "Garrett's mother is Russian. His father may have been Italian, but his mother wasn't. None of you thought to look into his family history did you? Neither did daddy dearest. When Garrett asked for my hand, all our father saw were dollar signs. Like I said, I was never his favorite. He was more than happy to hand me over. Perhaps if he had done a little digging, he would still be alive.

"After we were married, Garrett thought I was his guarantee for New York. When he found out that wasn't the case he was more than happy to go along with my plan. He set our father up with his uncles. The first few deals went well, our father got greedy, but by the time things went south he was in too deep. That was when your husband's family started meddling, trying to help him. We knew then he had to die, before the Cullens got too involved. Neither of us counted on the old bastard having a will with his name on it," Kate said, nodding towards Edward.

"Wait," I said, holding my hand up. "So you're saying that you killed them. You were behind their deaths."

Kate laughed. "We obviously didn't carry the hit out ourselves. We were at your wedding with the perfect alibi, but that's where Garrett's family came in handy."

"You knew he was going to kill our parents and you did nothing!?" I snarled. "You were responsible for their deaths and you pretended to mourn, to grieve with me. They gave you everything, and you threw their lives away like they were a piece of trash."

Kate shrugged. "You have a very rose-tinted view on how our parents were Isabella."

"No, you dumb bitch!" I roared, pointing my finger at Kate. "You let a man get under your skin and into your head. You are too fucking blind to see he used you from day one. He doesn't love you. He never has and instead of reaching out to our father, who would have helped you, you what? You had them fucking killed. You are a parasite. I came here struggling with the idea of Edward killing you, but do you know what? I won't even mourn you. No one will. You are going to die a sad, bitter, lonely, little bitch and no one is even going to remember you. No one is going to care that you are dead."

There was a knock at the basement door causing me jump. Edward opened the door, Emmett was on the other side, his face grim. "We have a situation." I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew something wasn't right.

Kate laughed. "The only one who will be dying today is you. Did you honestly think I would have let them catch me so easily? It's a trap. I'm the fucking bait and you fell for it. You and your husband are going to die and _you'll_ be the one that no one remembers," she hissed.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had risked our lives for this. I saw red. I marched over to Liam, and grabbed his gun from the holster under his arm, I took the safety off and cocked it, aiming it at Kate. I was the one who was going to get the last fucking laugh.

"Isabella," Edward said, shocked, "put the gun down. You don't want to do that. You don't want to live with her blood on your hands." But it was too late, I had pulled the trigger. I watched as the bullet shot through her head, killing her instantly. Liam pulled the gun from my hand, and Edward turned me to face him. He searched my eyes. I think he was waiting for me to breakdown, but I wasn't going to.

"I'm okay," I reassured him.

"Good," he said, leaning in and kissing my head, "because we have to try and get you out of here, alive."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** A huge thanks to my ladies Paige, Sherry, Cristina and Tiffany xx

As always, thanks for reading and for your reviews x x

 **Chapter 40**

I didn't like the lack of conviction in Edward's voice. He had always been confident, cocky even, but right now, he was none of that. I could tell he was worried, not just for me, but for all of us. None of us had expected things to go down the way it had. I knew Edward would never have let me come here if he had truly believed that I would be in any sort of danger, and there was no point in us calling Carlisle for help because like he had said, he was two hours away. We were in this on our own.

We all gathered in the basement as Emmett and Jasper explained the situation upstairs. The Russians had the building surrounded. Garrett was with them, which hadn't been all that surprising, not after everything Kate had told us. From the looks of it we were outnumbered 5:1. It wasn't great odds, but it could be worse, right? Jasper and Emmett had secured the doors, but wooden tables and chairs would only hold for so long. We had to come up with a plan and fast.

"Are there any other exits out of here?" Edward asked Liam, hopeful.

Liam shrugged. "If there are, Charlie never showed them to me. We've never had any need to use them before."

"What about you?" Edward said, turning to me, "do you know another way out of this bar?"

I shrugged. I hadn't really been here since I was a young girl. I remembered playing upstairs once or twice when my father had come here to take care of business. Now that I thought about it, that business must have been someone he was holding here in the cellar. I didn't think it was appropriate that he brought me here when he was doing things like that. While I was drinking mocktails upstairs, he was downstairs interrogating someone. I would kill Edward if he ever did anything like that with our children, mob boss or not.

As I thought about the last time I was here, I was hit with a memory of when I was a little girl. Kate and I were sitting at the bar, drinking mocktails and chatting to the bartender like little girls do. Of course, the bar wasn't actually open to the public at that point. Papa had been downstairs for over an hour and we were both getting pretty bored. When he finally came up we thought we were leaving, but he had a young man with him. Someone I don't recognize until now, _Jacob Black_. He walked him over to the brick wall with the light fixtures. I remembered watching in awe as he turned them in some sort of sequence and then the wall opened to reveal a room on the other side. I had no idea what was in the room. I never got to see inside.

"Isabella?" Edward said, frustrated.

I looked up to see all the men were looking at me, waiting for an answer. I had gotten too caught up in my own memories. "I think I remember a way," I said, touching Edward's arm. "Follow me." I led Edward up the stairs from the cellar. The brick wall in question was just at the top of the stairs. I turned the light fixtures like my father had in my memory, but nothing happened.

Edward cocked his eyebrow at me. "Was it supposed to do something?"

"I guess I didn't do it right," I mumbled, trying again. It took several more tries before the secret door clicked open. I turned to Edward, pleased that I had remembered.

He gently pushed me behind him and went into the room first. Upon first inspection the room looked like nothing more than a glorified storage room. Although, there was some extra ammo and guns that we could definitely use, there didn't seem to be any other point to the room. It wasn't until my foot caught something that we realized there was a trap door in the floor. It had been hidden beneath some crates.

"You okay?" Edward asked as he caught me, stopping me from falling flat on my face. He stood me up, not letting me go until he was certain that I was steady on my feet.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I said, dusting myself off. "Do you think it will lead out of here?" I asked, as he began to move the crates.

"I hope so. How did you know about this room anyway?"

I shrugged. "When you asked me about exits I thought back to the handful of times that I had been here. I remembered sitting at the bar with Kate. My dad had gone downstairs. When he came back, he was with a young man. At the time I didn't know it was Jacob Black, but I recognize him now. Speaking of Jacob… did you ever find him? You never told me."

Edward sighed. He stopped pushing the crates and looked up at me. I could tell by the expression on his face that whatever he was about to share with me was something he had wanted to keep to himself. "Yeah, we did. He's dead, Isabella."

"I don't understand. What happened?" I asked, confused.

"Garrett must have gotten to him first. He was found floating in the river."

"That's why you asked me if I had told Kate about him," I stated, putting all the puzzle pieces together in my head.

Edward nodded. "At the time I suspected that we might have a mole as I knew I hadn't told Garrett."

"You don't suspect any longer?"

"No. We found some recording equipment in a few of the rooms in our house. Garrett must have planted them. So I think it's safe to assume that he also used something similar at the hotel after we did our initial sweep as not many people knew about Jacob and the ones that did, I trust."

"I'm sorry," I said, wrapping my arms around myself. I hated that we were in this position because of my family. Although, the situation had brought me Edward, it had also brought nothing, but heartache and stress.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Edward said, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. He held me tight against his chest. "You didn't know."

"She was my family. I should have known or the very least suspected that something was off."

"They had us all fooled, Isabella. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me. It's my job to protect you, to keep you safe. I am the one that failed you." He caught my chin and made me face him. He looked sincere. I didn't like that he was blaming himself for any of this, but then, I guess he didn't like that I was either.

Emmett coughed in the doorway. "Maybe you two could finish the heart-to-heart later? We kinda have a life or death situation going on here." Liam and Jasper were standing behind him. All three of them were watching us. I guess we had taken too long and they had come to find out what had happened to us.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to help me move these crates?"

As soon as they opened the trapdoor, we were greeted by a god-awful stench. "Oh my God, what is that?" I asked, covering my mouth with my arm.

"I'm guessing it leads down into the sewer," Edward said, as he grabbed a flashlight from one of the shelves. He sat down at the entrance to the trapdoor and shined the light in, revealing a set of ladders. "Yeah, leads straight into the sewer. You're not gonna like this one principessa, you may want to hold your nose."

If only holding my nose helped. After closing the secret door, we all made our way down into the sewer. Edward carried me so that I didn't need to walk in the human waste, but that didn't do much for the smell. I can't even begin to describe how awful it was. The stench was so strong that it burned my nose and the back of my throat, but it beat being dead.

 **A/N:** One more chapter to go of this one, then a small epi, then it is on to Tied to New York.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:** Happy Easter! I hope everyone has a great weekend. I will update with the small epi tomorrow.

A big thanks to my ladies, Cristina, Tiffany, Sherry & Paige.

Sad to see this go, but looking forward to starting a new chapter with these two xx

 **Chapter 41**

We walked along the sewer for five or ten minutes before we came upon a set of ladders. Emmett went up first to check it out and ensure it was safe, since Edward was still carrying me. When he poked his head down several minutes later he had a grin on his face. "It leads to an alley, behind the shops, across the street from the bar. It's a perfect position to ambush a few Russians."

I went up next, followed by Edward and then the other two. Emmett was right; it was the perfect location for an ambush. The Russians were currently ramming the front door to the bar, trying to get in. They had no idea that we weren't in there now. If we were going to hit them, then the time was now.

"I want you to stay here," Edward said, turning to me. "Stay hidden."

I shook my head. There was no way I was going to stay here and hide while he went out there, risking his life. "You'll need the extra gun," I argued.

"We'll manage without."

I shook my head. He was being stubborn. I could help. "I may not be a great shot, but you need my help. There are too many of them out there. I won't stay here and hide like a scared, little girl when I can be out there, helping you; unless you have forgotten it was my parents that he murdered. I deserve this."

"I won't let you get any more blood on your hands," Edward growled, a little too loud.

Emmett placed his hand on Edward's shoulder. "She's right; we could use the extra gun. She could stay behind us, only taking safe shots, but it would help. We are outnumbered."

Edward glared at Emmett and then looked at me. "I promise to stay behind you," I said, hoping he would allow me to come. "I just… please let me help. Plus, there is no point in me hiding here if you are all dead."

Edward grabbed the side of my neck and gazed sternly into my eyes. "I'm warning you Isabella. Don't make me regret this; don't try anything stupid, no heroics. You stay behind me and you do as you're told, or I will follow through on my threat." I didn't need to ask which one, my ass warmed at the thought.

I reached up and touched the side of his face. "I promise," I answered, without really thinking through the commitment that I was making.

Edward pulled me to him and held me tight against his chest as he placed a kiss on my head. He held me there for a few minutes before letting me go. Then, he began formulating a plan of attack.

We snuck around the corner and down an alleyway between the shops, positioning ourselves behind two cars. The Russians sole attention was on the bar. None of them saw us coming. They were like sitting ducks. We managed to take out half of them by the time they realized where we were.

Garrett was in the middle and his protection was slowly depleting. I knew I had promised Edward not to take any risks and stay behind him, but Garrett was right fucking there. The man responsible for murdering my parents, the man responsible for ruining my sister and stealing my fucking life, was right there in front of me.

Edward tried to grab for me the second I decided to get up, but he was left clutching at air. I was vaguely aware of him screaming my name, but the world around me just seemed to blur and fade away as I made my way to Garrett. His attention was focused on Emmett and Jasper, who were hiding behind a second car. He never saw me coming until it was too late.

I aimed for his hand, shooting the gun from it. His knee cap was next, making him fall to the ground. If any of his men were gunning for me, I wasn't aware of it. It was just Garrett and me now. I knew, or at least hoped Edward would keep me safe. I possibly didn't even care at that moment. Revenge is an awful thing. It could consume you if you let it and the moment I'd seen Garrett I welcomed it.

I kicked Garrett's gun away and stood on his knee, causing him to scream in anguish. I was proud that I had managed to hit my target. Maybe that was all I was lacking before, motivation. "Not such a big shot now, are you?" I said smiling down at him. He went to swing his good leg at me, but I shot out his other kneecap. "That's for my mother and father, you murderous bastard."

Edward came up behind me, grabbing and spinning me around. He was furious. He grabbed the gun from my hand and handed it off to one of the others. "Are you out of your fucking mind!?" he roared. "What the hell did we just discuss!?"

I looked around me, all the Russians were dead. Sirens could be heard in the distance. The cops were coming. "We have to get out of here," Emmett stated, confirming my thoughts.

Edward said nothing. He just stood there, glaring at me. If it was at all possible, I think he would have steam coming out of his ears.

"Edward," Jasper snapped. "We have to go."

"We will finish this conversation later," Edward growled, pulling me toward the alley.

"What about him?" I said, pulling back and motioning to Garrett. Sure, there was a possibility that he would bleed out, but there was also a possibility that someone would help him and he would survive. I wanted to finish him off, but before I could voice that want, Edward lifted his gun and pulled the trigger, ending Garrett's worthless life.

"That wasn't your life to take!" I shouted, but apparently that was the wrong thing to say as it only made him angrier. He grabbed my arm so tight I knew it would bruise and dragged me toward the alley. We didn't have time to argue, we had to make a run for it. Liam led us to one of my father's safe houses a few blocks away.

"Jasper, I want you to scrub all the CCTV footage and any other evidence you can get your hands on. We were never there," Edward ordered once we were safely inside, then he began to stalk toward me. I stumbled back until I hit the wall. The rest of the men seemed to divert their attention from the two of us. I think this was honestly the first time I had ever been slightly frightened of Edward.

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to go around him, but he blocked my path. "I wasn't thinking. I saw him and I just got caught-up in the moment. It won't happen again."

"You're fucking right it won't happen again. My wife shouldn't get her fucking hands dirty. That is the last time you will ever touch a gun. Do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," I said, hoping that would be the end of it, but no. He stalked toward me, grabbed and put me over his shoulder, then carried me to one of the other rooms, which happened to be a bedroom. He sat down on the bed and put me over his knee. I squirmed, trying to fight him off. "Don't you fucking dare!" I screamed at him, panicking that he was going to spank me like a child.

"I warned you Isabella. I warned you and you didn't listen. Maybe it's a good spanking that you need. I should blame your father for not spanking you enough."

I screamed, I kicked and fought him with everything I had, but he did nothing. He held me until I had let it all out. "Feel better?" he asked. I never answered. "Now, do you want your jeans on or off? I figure it would be more painful with them on?" I wasn't going to humor him with a reply. "On, it is then."

He spanked me ten times, ten fucking times. I hated him for every slap, but for some reason I hated myself even more. I hated that I had let him down. I hated that I had broken my promise, but I didn't understand why it should matter. Garrett got what was coming to him. We were all safe.

Edward left without a word when he was finished. I knew he was seriously pissed with me, and he also had this mess to clean-up. I didn't envy him. I lay on the bed, holding myself, crying myself to sleep. Though, I wasn't sure who the tears were for. Myself? My mother and father? My sister or the lives I had taken?


	42. Chapter 42

**Epilogue.**

Kate was dead. Garrett was dead, and the Russians had backed off. So life should be good now, right? Wrong. Edward was still royally pissed at me for the stunt I had pulled. He had barely spoken two words to me in the weeks that had passed since the incident. I wanted to say I got why he was still angry, but I really didn't. Okay, so I had broken a promise to him, but Garrett had taken my family away from me; he had practically destroyed my life. I had a right to want to end his life. Surely, Edward could see that. He couldn't honestly say he wouldn't have done the same thing if he had been in my position.

Rather than work out our issues, he had thrown himself into his work. He had been spending the majority of his time in New York taking over from my father, while he had left me on my own in Detroit. With the Russians gone, Marcus no longer needed to babysit me, so it had just been Bruno and me. I will admit, I was bored. I wasn't used to entertaining myself or spending all day alone. I wished he would just come home and shout at me or something, anything would be better than this.

We had gotten so close and now we couldn't be further apart. I was mad at him. I was mad at myself. Part of me felt like acting out just so I could get his attention. The other part of me felt like playing him at his own game, but knowing my luck, he wouldn't even notice that I was ignoring him. I wished I had someone to talk to, someone to seek out for advice, but I had no one. No mother, no sister, no friends, and I didn't exactly feel comfortable going to Esme to speak about her son.

I knew he was under a lot of stress right now. Taking over from my father wasn't an easy task and covering up the massacre in New York hadn't exactly been easy for him either. I wasn't down playing any of that. I just wanted my husband back. I wanted a little attention and not the odd phone call that he made to me out of a sense of duty.

I picked up my cell and tossed it across the room. Bruno jumped off the bed beside me and ran over to the phone, collecting it, and bringing it back to me. I sighed, patting his head as I took the phone from his mouth. If only all men were as attentive as he was.

 **A/N:** Wow, so this story started with a black wedding dress and it sorta just snowballed from there.

A huge thank you to my Dream Team, Cristina, Sherry, Paige & Tiffany, I couldn't have written this story without your support and hard work. A massive thank you to my readers, for your reviews, and in general making this story such a joy to write.

We'll be back soon, with Tied to New York, until then Happy Easter!


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